


Responsible

by DragonRaja_S2_Carli



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 34,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27854294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRaja_S2_Carli/pseuds/DragonRaja_S2_Carli
Summary: Lee Jiho is a college student at SKY university and math genius. Guilt drives him to get a job to help care for his sick mother after a car accident took his father's life. He meets Kim Yoosung at an Internet café and, after helping him ace his math assignment, Yoosung helps him find a job at C&R. This kicks off a series of events that would take him to the RFA and begin to unravel the truth behind his father.
Comments: 22
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

“I’ll be back late.” Lee Jiho stuffed his books deeper in his backpack and zipped it shut.

His mother stood in the tiny kitchen stirring a batch of soup in a tall silver pot and lightly tapping a ladle on the side. Her skin was smooth and plump, her hair had only a few greys but she moved around the tiny kitchen like a woman twice her age, feet sliding in her slippers. “Late again? But it’s not even finals week!”

“I have a lot of projects but I don’t want to take them home.” He shifted the pack over the jacket of his pristine black and white uniform. “Besides. I want to graduate early. Get a job.” His fingers shifted aside a fashion magazine on the table, revealing a white envelope, another bill from the hospital. “How much was it this time? One hundred thousand won? A million?”

He raised his eyes to his mother who met his gaze for a moment before shifting it away to retrieve a ladle from a drawer. “Don’t worry about it. We have enough savings from the sale of the business to last a while yet.”

“You don’t know if you’ll ever be over your illness. I don’t want you to work. Besides. I’m old enough. No reason why I can’t.”

She ladeled some soup into a thermos. “Well, I’m not like some of these older women who just have children so they can sit around and gossip all day. You’re young! You should enjoy your freedom.” She lowered the lid of the thermos with shaking hands. “You’re only young once in your life. Don’t throw that way, Jiho.”

At the sight of her tremors, Jiho dropped his pack, and hurried over to steady the thermos and take the lid from her. “Let me do it. You’ll burn yourself if it spills!”

“It’s fine!” She objected once, but then let him screw the cap on. Her tired resignation gave way to a loving smile. “Don’t be in such a rush to grow up.”

“It’s not about growing up.” He tightened the cap. “Dad didn’t want you working.” 

“That doesn’t mean you need to start working. I’m your mother, I need to take care of you, not the other way around.”

His eyes lowered to her trembling hands. “What are you going to do? Clean houses for some rich lady? You can’t. You don’t have enough energy to work. You need to rest. Besides… it’s the least I can do for you.” Pain pulled at the corners of his mouth and he averted his gaze.

He was stopped from walking away. His mother had taken hold of his arm in her weak grip. “Jiho.” Her voice was soft, but firm. 

He turned to look at her, a shimmer in his eyes. His mother’s eyes were deep and dark as the night sky. His were as clear and blue as a summer’s day, the kind of eyes that would make people startle and forget what they were about to say to him while they stared in wonder at the unusual sight.

“Jiho. Your father’s death was not your fault. You don’t have to do anything.” She spoke low and slow, encouraging him to stop and listen closely. But he turned away again and pulled out of her grasp. 

“You weren’t there.”

[One Year Ago]

“Did you really have to pick me up in your food truck?” Jiho leaned against the window glass as if to get as far away from his father as he possibly could.

“What’s wrong with my truck? I was already out when your mother called me. Did you want me to go home, get the sedan and then drive all the way back to get you?” 

His father looked like him, dark haired, with a bit of stubble he liked to maintain on his chin. His blue eyes were red from working late over a smoky stove.

He tapped one finger against the steering wheel. “Besides, I should be the one asking you questions. Like, what were you doing at that party when I told you that you couldn’t go?”

Jiho sat up from the window and rolled his eyes. “Dad… The richest kids in the school invited me! How could I say no to that? Aren’t you always saying that we have to seize every opportunity? I graduate next week! This is literally my last chance!”

“Yes, but you have to do so with a steady mind…”

“I am using a steady mind!” He gestured to the empty can of soda in the old dashboard cup holder. “We don’t have any money! So if people who have money ask you to come over you do it! That’s where the opportunity is! These are the people who can get me places! Places I can’t go.”

Jiho leaned against the seat and crossed his arms. “I thought you of all people would understand. You park right under the biggest skyscrapers in the city because those people have money.”

“I park there at lunch… poor people can’t afford to eat out for lunch every day. I park in poorer areas on the weekends after pay day.” His father gave him a small glance. “But money isn’t everything…”

Jiho gave a bitter laugh. “Yes it is…”

“You really believe that?” His father gave him a worried glance. “I guess you do. My word meant nothing to you. … because your friends were rich.” He murmured, keeping his eyes forward on the dark empty midnight streets. “But keep in mind, that there are people who would do even worse things to get money… so that’s what I mean by keeping a steady mind. You shouldn’t be breaking your curfew for money.”

“Well, if I get a job by doing it, I think it's alright. Get out of that rickety neighborhood and into some place brighter and cleaner. Where you don’t have to pay protection money to work.” He added in a low growl.

“What I save in protection money, I’ll just spend on higher rent!” His father let out a jolly laugh.

“Can you be serious for half a second?”

His father looked over at his son’s sullen scowl. “I am serious. You just don’t understand. You see the surface of things. And that’s all money can change. The surface.”

“Okay, then you tell me.” Jihoo gave him a challenging smirk. “Name one thing that wouldn’t be easier if you had more money!”

His father turned to him and smirked right back. “Oh, that’s easy. Being your father.”

Jiho rolled his eyes and turned back forward. 

A crimson light met his gaze and his eyes widened and he sat up straight. “It’s red!”

Jiho would only remember the sound: A loud bang.

When he opened his eyes again, the world had gone silent. He coughed against the dust in the air from the airbags and his chest hurt from the pull of the seatbelt. He groaned and looked around, stunned, wondering what had happened.

“Dad, are you alright?”

When he got no answer, he asked again. “Dad?”

He turned his head to look and stared in confusion at his father, once vibrant, enmeshed in a tangle of twisted metal and glass.

[One year later]

Jiho pushed open the glass door of the Internet Cafe. The warmth and the hum of computers along with lively chatter met his ears. Despite it being a school day, it was full of college students like him and no one batted an eye when he set his backpack down in an empty chair and paid his fee at the kiosk. He deliberated for a moment and selected 5 hours. He needed to use enough of his day while attending enough of his classes to avoid getting a call to his mother.

He sat back down and opened his school books. Inside were several pre-printed resumés ready for distribution. He turned his phone on vibrate, typed in his credentials and started surfing for work. 

He didn’t have any experience or a degree. He got into Sky University on a scholarship for his ability with numbers. Some called him a genius. He could run dozens of calculations using just his hand and a few moments’ thoughts. At the grocery store, he knew the total of his bill before he got in line to check out, having exact change ready to hand to the cashier. Even though his mother tried to hide the state of their finances, he could average out their energy use, water use, rent, and food costs and could tell that they probably would not last another month before they started to miss payments.

He couldn’t afford to miss an opportunity. He applied to every job he could even if he didn’t qualify. All he needed was someone to give him a chance. So his fingers danced over the keyboard, filling in form after form, importing his cover letters, uploading his photos.

He’d completed about 50 when he started to feel that twinge of tension in his neck. He rolled his head over his shoulder and tried to give himself a massage. He glanced at the clock. He still had two hours left. 

Whenever he sat too long, the pain from his whiplash injury would come back to haunt him, first as stiffness, then as pain that grew in intensity until he was nearly bed ridden. But he didn’t want to go to the doctor and be sidelined by physical therapy appointments. It was better to just get up and stretch.

“Haha! GG, guys! Better lunch next time!”

A bright and happy voice met his ears and it made him turn to look. Sitting next to him, a young man with blond hair spoke into a headset. On his screen, a game he recognized as LOLOL was flashing out brightly colored splashes of font and totalling a fairly high score. Without looking closely, he could tell that the person next to him was good. In order to get that total, one had to flawlessly hit high value targets and not let the enemy get them. In fact, he would have had to get almost all of them.

“Uh… hi.”

Jiho suddenly noticed the guy was staring at him. “Oh. Sorry. I just noticed you pretty much had a shut-out match against those guys.”

The blondie flashed him a bright grin. “Sure did! Do you play?”

“I used to. I got a little busy.”

“Oh! Too bad! I play LOLOL almost every day. It’s the only thing I have really.” He chuckled a bit, realizing that maybe this was a lame admission.

“Well, we all have to have something. I could think of worse things to center your life around.” With his neck still smarting, he leaned against the divider. “Especially since you’re so good at that.”

The guy’s eyes immediately lit up. “Thanks! Ha. People tend to look down at me because I game so much. They say things like… I’m wasting my life or something…”

Jiho rolled his eyes. “But so long as you’re happy, what does it matter to them what you waste it on?”

“Right?!” The gamer nearly leaped from his seat in agreement, pulling at the headset cord. He cringed and carefully removed the headphones. This gamer had unusual eyes like him, bright violet. “My name’s Kim Yoosung.”

“Lee Jiho. You come here every day?” Jiho couldn’t help but return his smile.

“Ahh, I wish. The equipment here is better than at my place. It’s just they’re doing some renovations at the dorm above mine and I couldn’t stand the noise…”

“Dorm? You’re in uni?” Jiho smiled again, suddenly forgetting that his neck was hurting. “You’re skipping class too huh?”

Yoosung’s cheeks turned red. “Don’t tell anyone I said that!”

“Who am I going to tell? I’m skipping class too.” He glanced back at his silent phone. “Though, I’m starting to wonder if it's worth it. I want to find a job, but no one calls me back.”

Yoosung stood on his toes to peek over the divider. “Find a job? Is that what you’ve been doing all this time?”

Jiho gave a stiff nod.

“Gee. I hope you find one…” The screen behind him suddenly spit out a notification. “Oh! A new game is starting! I should get back to it. I hope you find a job, Jiho.”

“Yeah. Good luck, Yoosung.”

Jiho couldn’t help but feel a little envious. It had been a long while since he could last unwind with an online game or two. He glanced back at his phone that was still as a stone. After he got a job, then he could think about gaming again.

He returned to his chair to continue. The remainder of his time was spent both turning in resumés and listening to Yoosung chatter with his online buddies. He could still remember enough of the jargon to follow what was happening in the game. Yoosung went at gaming with such intensity and enthusiasm he couldn’t help but listen in. Like a fan listening to a radio broadcast of a baseball game, he could visualize what was on the screen in great detail.

He was really good.

He noticed when he finally ended his gaming time and heard him yawn and stretch and get out of his seat. Two more hours had passed and Jiho still had not heard from anyone. He was out of time.

Yoosung peeked around the divider. “Still at it?”

Jiho quickly turned away to hide his disappointment at another wasted day. “Just finished. You’re done?”

“Yep!” Yoosung paused. “What… exactly are you looking for?”

“I’m good with numbers. I’m hoping to get into something like accounting or bookkeeping.”

Yoosung flinched. “I wish I was good with numbers. I nearly fail every math assignment.”

“Want me to…” Jiho suddenly hesitated. “I mean… I can help you with your assignments. If you want.”

“Really? You can do that?” Yoosung’s eyes grew wide in his head. 

“Not for free!” Jiho objected. “I am looking for work after all.”

Yoosung hung his head. “I don’t have that much money…”

So he wasn’t a rich student. He glanced back at his still phone. “How about this. Buy me a cup noodle every time you need help with your math work. I can’t be that hard. That way I can stay here longer without having to leave to eat.”

“What do you mean it can’t be that hard?! This is Sky University! Everything we have is Advanced Placement classes!”

Jiho smirked. “I got into Sky. On a mathematics scholarship.” He watched in satisfaction as Yoosung’s jaw dropped in shock. “So do we have a deal?”

“Yeah! I mean… absolutely!” Yoosung’s grin spread from ear to ear! “That’s one less class I have to worry about! And more time for LOLOL! You’re a life-saver!”

Jiho gave a bashful laugh at Yoosung’s over-enthusiastic response. “Good. Nice doing business with you.”

Yoosung suddenly pulled out his phone. “What’s your LINE?” Jiho blinked in confusion so he added. “So I can send you my current assignment! It’s due tomorrow and I’ve really been struggling.”

Jiho gave his contact info and his neck started to suddenly pain him. “Uh… it’s due tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I was just going to use the noise in my dorm as an excuse to get an extension!”

Jiho’s phone buzzed for the first time all day and it was the assignment. It was about four pages of geometry problems. “I… you haven’t done anything on this assignment… are you planning to fail this class?”

Yoosung ran his hand through his hair in embarrassment. “I mean I’m not planning to fail… And I won’t because you can help me!”

Jiho sighed. “Hey okay. One cup noodle, and I’ll need an hour more time to do this okay?”

“Uh sure… I’ll be right back!” Yoosung bounced over to the kiosk and quickly paid the necessary fee. Soon, a woman came and stopped by with a hot steaming cup of noodles. It had some vegetables and meat so it was better than what he could buy at the store, but now Jiho felt he had underbid.

“I’ll have it for you later tonight, Yoosung, no problem.” He rubbed the back of his neck and sat back down.

“Alright!” Yoosung pumped his fists in the air. “You’re the best! I have to get going before they kick me out… haha… good luck on your job search!”

With that Yoosung grabbed his bag and headset and bounced away.

Jiho slurped at his noodles and did the equations one by one. They weren’t difficult, just as he thought, there were just a lot of them. His phone suddenly buzzed in his hand.

He quickly picked up. “Lee Jiho speaking!”

“Hello, I’m calling you back about your resume that you submitted…”

“Yes that’s-”

“I’m calling because I wanted to make sure you understood that you don’t qualify for the position. We require at least three years of experience with our software…”

“I’m a quick study. I can learn any software. Besides, I got into SKY university on a math scholarship so accounting is really not anything to me…”

“I’m sorry. You sound very eager and promising but we are not accepting your application at this time.”

“I…” He looked down at his cup noodle. “I understand.”

“Please focus on your studies. I’m sure we would be happy to have you on board in the future.”

Jiho swallowed his disappointment and tried to steady his voice. “Thank you for giving me a call, it was very courteous of you.”

“Have a good evening. Good bye.”

The phone line went dead, along with Jiho’s hopes for the day. He looked up at the screen and felt a sharp twinge that made him flinch. But he didn’t get up. He needed to finish Yoosung’s homework and get back to his search. He couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t. His father told him that opportunities had to be seized but opportunities only arose for people who were out there to grab them. He had a precious extra hour to be out there, and he couldn’t waste it.

He would pay for neglecting himself. His neck hurt so bad he couldn’t turn his head. By the time he finished for the day, it was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon. He had one class he could attend on schedule but he decided to make his way back home. He still forced himself to say goodbye to the clerk as he left, struggling to hide the pain he felt. He picked up the phone and called. 

His mother picked up. “Hey, honey! How’s school?”

“Ah… mom. Sorry, I’m coming home early. My neck really hurts.”

“Oh no.” Her soft voice came over the phone full of sympathy. “You sound really bad. Should I call the doctor?”

“No. It’s not that bad. Can you call the school and tell them I’m sick today?”

“Sure. I can do that. Did the rest of your day go well?”

“It… went okay. I made a friend… sort of.”

“Well, that’s always good. You’ve not had much of a social life since your Dad…” Her voice trailed off. “Hey… I’ll make your bed for you. Get home safe.”

When his mother hung up, Jiho received a LINE notification. “Wow! The homework’s all done! Now I can spend all night on LOLOL in peace! This means a whole lot to me! Did you ever get someone to call you back?”

“Yeah,” He typed, standing at the curb of an intersection. “But they only called me to tell me they wouldn’t accept my app.”

Yoosung’s animated crying emoji brought him to smiling again. The pain in his neck eased.

“Haha. Don’t cry. It’s been like this for a long time. I’m used to it by now.” Jiho replied.

“Well… there’s someone I know who might be hiring. I’ll try to talk to him and put in a good word. I can’t promise anything though.”

“I wouldn’t want you to promise anything. And you don’t have to do that, but I appreciate any help. You really…” The light changed green so he deleted the last two words and hit send.

He had wanted to type, “You really made my day.”

When Jiho got home, he didn't do anything but take muscle relaxants, pain meds, and go straight to bed. His mother was used to it but still peeked in his room. Once she was certain he was asleep she tiptoed to his backpack and opened it. There, shoved between books, was his stack of resumés.

When she had called to report him sick, the student body counselor had warned her of his falling grades and tardiness.

But she didn't wake him, she put the resumés back where she found them. She zipped the backpack shut and tiptoed out


	2. Chance

Jiho woke up slightly stiff but without any pain. The muscle relaxers he’d taken as well as the pain meds allowed him to sleep comfortably, but he knew by experience that he needed to ease up on the sitting for at least a day after overdoing it like this.

He took deep breaths as he sat up, focusing on keeping his muscles relaxed. If he felt a twinge he took another deep breath and eased into the movement more slowly. This meditative and repetitive motion synchronized with a hot shower first thing in the morning. Gradually, his offended muscles loosened further.

Shrugging back into his school uniform, he checked his phone and was surprised to find a dozen messages from Yoosung stretching from 9 pm to 3 am in the morning.

“Hey, Jiho! I talked to my friend and he’s interested in getting you hired!”

“Oh… you must be asleep. Can you message me when you get this?”

“Uh… never mind, I was doing LOLOL I just checked if you were online, you’re still asleep.”

“You’re a pretty heavy sleeper. Jaehee says that she’ll call you in the morning.”

“Ah… I just raelizde that u dont kno who Jaeeesi”

“Sorry typos. I cn barley keep my eys open.”

“I forgot to tell you who Jaehee is again! Jaehee Kang! She’s my friends assistnnt”

“Are you awake?”

Much to his shock, Yoosung was still showing as online. Did this kid never sleep?

“Hey, I just got your messages, Yoosung. I hope your LOLOL was fruitful but don't message me late at night. I don’t tend to sleep well and turn my phone on silent. Are you saying I have an interview? With who?”

The response was immediate. “Good morning!” A happy sun emoji was tacked on to the end. “Jaehee Kang. She works with C&R.”

Jiho’s breath caught in his throat. He knew C&R like most people in the city did: By the massive gleaming glass and steel tower of the C&R building, one of the tallest buildings in the city. It glowed in the dark with lights displaying its name, with a flashing red beacon to warn low flying planes of its immense height.

C&R’s property spanned outward to a plaza with fountains and eating areas. It had Valet parking in expansive underground parking garages. It was a centerpiece of downtown where only the finest of the city and even the finest of the country could work.

Jiho’s skepticism immediately brought him back down to earth. This poor gamer who couldn’t even afford tutoring and skipped classes and played LOLOL all night had an ‘in’ at C&R?

He typed a single word. “Bullshit.” and tossed his phone on the bed.

His mood sank. He heard his mother call him down to breakfast so he started to prepare for the day. So much for a new friend. Maybe he was a scammer. No way that was true.

“It’s true!” 

Jiho eyed his phone as he slowly wrapped his school uniform tie around his neck.

“Look, my cousin was engaged to Han Jumin’s childhood friend. That’s how I know him. We talked about you last night and he’s interested in you so you have to be ready to answer the phone when she calls!”

Jiho could feel his temperature rise. He picked up the phone again. “I don’t know why you feel the need to joke around like this. But it’s not funny.”

“No, wait, look, I’ll get you a photo.”

He rolled his eyes. Photos used to be proof now they’re easily spoofed and altered. Did Yoosung scam people like this all the time?

A picture came up. It was a photo of Yoosung, but he had brown hair. Several people were standing around.

“This is my graduation ceremony. Jumin Han is the farthest to the left.”

Jiho blinked at the photo. He was seeing something with his own eyes, yet his brain found it hard to accept. He wasn’t someone who followed celebrities, but he knew the Han name and he’d seen photos of Jumin Han before. Still, he found himself googling Jumin Han and comparing the pictures online. This couldn’t be, that had to be a look-alike…

“Jiho! Come down to breakfast!”

“In a minute!” He shouted down to his mother. He turned back to his phone. 

He typed. “This seems too good to be true.”

“I understand. But please believe me.”

The screen suddenly went black and the phone was buzzing with his ring tone. On the caller ID was Jaehee Kang.

Jiho felt himself starting to sweat. He held the phone to his ear and cleared his throat. “This is Lee Jiho.”

“Good morning, this is Kang Jaehee. I’m chief assistant to Han Jumin of C&R and we are interested in offering you a position here.”

Jiho’s mouth opened and shut. “Yes… thank you for considering me.”

“Yoosung shared his math assignment with us last night and I looked over it. All the answers are correct. Your public records are also exemplary. Do you have time for an interview this morning?”

“This morning…?”

“JI-HO!” 

Jiho heard his mom coming up the stairs and quickly locked the door bedroom. “Can you give me just a moment.”

“Sure.”

He muted the phone. “Mom. I … I need some more time to get ready, I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?” The doorknob rattled. “Why is your door locked!”

“I’ll be right down I promise. By the way, where’s my suit? The one I wore to Dad’s memorial.”

“Your suit? It should be in the storage closet…”

“Can you get it out for me? I need it…”

“What is going on?”

“Please mom, just do it. I”ll be right out.”

Much to his relief his mother shuffled away, muttering to herself.

He hurried back to the phone. “I apologize, please continue.”

“Not a problem at all.” Her voice was clipped and professional. Her words were formal. Just listening to her made him sit up straight. “The job will involve auditing archived files kept in storage. These files don’t work with any of our current software and must be audited by hand. Once these files are thoroughly checked, they must be imported into a new system and the records will be destroyed. Therefore, we need someone with a meticulous attention to detail as once the records are destroyed they cannot be retrieved.”

“I can do that, no problem.” He said. “What time do you need to meet me?”

“I have an opening two hours from now. Meet me in the C&R lobby at 9:30 am.”

“I can make it. Thank you for this opportunity.”

After bidding each other farewell. Jiho had to sit down. He held one hand to his head staring into space. “Oh… oh my god. This is it. This is it! This is my chance! I…”

He hurried back down the hall to the bathroom and brushed his hair and his teeth again, one more time. He was afraid to eat. What if she smelled something on his breath or he got something in his teeth?

His resume! He quickly hurried for his backpack and opened it up. He smiled. Still there, perfect condition.

He hurried to the kitchen where his mom had her arms crossed and her foot tapping. He would have to take the subway to get to C&R. “Mom, can I borrow a few extra dollars. I’m meeting someone for a special project and I”ll have to take the subway.”

“No.”

His mother’s words stopped him cold. “What?”

“No. The school told me you’ve been skipping classes!”

“I told you I wasn’t feeling well yesterday!” He laughed nervously.

“What about the day before? And the day before that?” She glared at him. “You’ve been lying to me! Where have you been going?”

“I’ve been applying for jobs!” Jiho blurted. “I need the suit for an interview!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t like it!”

“And you would be right! You are on scholarship! This is your one chance to go to a prestigious university!” His mother leaned on the table.

“And it’s not going to do any good if you have to work!” Jiho couldn’t believe she was being stubborn.

“What are you talking about? The whole point of university is to get a good job!”

“I’m about to get a really good job mom, really good.”

Her lips pressed together and her brow knitted. For a moment, mother and one glared at each other in a standoff.

Jiho looked away first, contrite. “I’m sorry I lied to you…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Look… I”ll cut you a deal. I’ll get this job. If I don’t, I’ll give up my job search and go to class. Okay?”

“You promise…” She asked dubiously.

“I promise. Super promise.” He crossed his fingers.

His mother hesitated for a few more seconds before reaching for her purse and handing him enough money for the fare.

Jiho took the suit from her arms and bowed deeply. “Thank you for this chance.”

“How good is this job anyway?” She glanced at him as he sat and devoured his breakfast.

He didn’t answer right away. “I kinda don’t want to tell you. I”m afraid it might not be real.”

“That good huh?” She asked. She quirked a single eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

“Well… you better hurry then. This is your last chance.”

Jiho rose from the table, walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “You won’t regret it.” He then ran off to get changed.

Soon, Jiho was one of a river of suited individuals making their way through a labyrinth of shining skyscrapers in the business district of the city. All around him, people spoke on cell phones, the clicks of women’s heels provided staccato rhythms and the steady hum of expensive cars added a backdrop of sound.

He glanced up at the C&R complex as if it were a castle he was planning to storm. He steeled himself with determination. This was the place that would change his life.

He walked through the automatic revolving doors into a brilliantly lit marble floor. Immediately his bravado left him when he saw a floor to ceiling saltwater fish tank complete with coral reef decorating a central column.

This confrontation with extravagance told him he didn’t have any business being here.

A woman in a brown dress suit met him. “Lee Jiho?” She bowed slightly. “I am Jaehee Kang. Let me help you get checked in.”

He fought the urge to respond like a school kid and nodded and followed her in silence. Inside, he was a raging mix of excitement, panic, and disbelief. Was he dreaming?

He looked down at the receptionist seated behind an ornate desk carved with snarling Siberian tigers. 

She was young, bespectacled and dressed smartly. She looked at him, met his eyes and suddenly exclaimed. “Ah. What beautiful eyes!”

“Uh… Thanks” Jiho stammered.

Her cheeks turned red as she caught Jaehee’s deadpan stare. “I’m sorry. I… forgot myself. Here’s your security tag. Keep this on you at all times.”

He accepted the tag and put it around his neck.

Jaehee turned on her heel and walked towards an elevator. The doors were bright gold. Were they made of gold? They had the logo of C&R on them so that the two letters would part when the doors opened. “Have you ever worked in an office before?” Jaehee asked as she scanned her card and then looked at him. 

“I’ve never worked in an office before, no…”

“C&R is a very prestigious company and we value our employees highly but we have very high expectations of them as well. I’m happy you’ve decided to at least dress the part, but exclamations like you just heard could actually be grounds for discipline.”

“I understand.”

The golden doors opened and they stepped inside. Jaehee pressed a button and the doors slid shut. She then turned and smiled at him, her eyes warm and friendly. “Don’t be so nervous.”

Her sudden shift in attitude was jarring; he wasn’t sure how to react.

“Yoosung had a lot of good things to say about you. To be honest, you’ve already made a good impression. This interview is just a formality.”

Jiho gaped wordlessly for a few seconds. “Wow. I … I didn’t believe him when he was telling me.”

“I can sympathize. I got into C&R on the word of Jumin’s friend as well. Jumin values his friends’ opinions highly. This job is yours to lose.”

“Ms. Kang, I…”

“You can call me Jaehee.”

“But aren’t you my supervisor?”

“Not directly. You’ll be with our accounting division. All the usual formalities will be there.” 

The doors opened onto an elaborately woven carpet. There was another receptionist who only glanced at them as they passed by. “This is our archive. Should you accept the position, this is where you’ll be working.”

She scanned her card again at the double doors and they opened to a large windowless server room. Three huge center silos occupied most of the space along with industrial printing machines.

“Every day, you’ll examine a set of financial records. You’ll have your own desk and will be expected to work alone, but don’t be a stranger. The accounting division is a close knit group. It's in your interest to get to know them well.”

“They’re not here?”

“They work on a different floor. They’ll be in meetings right around this time.” Jaehee checked her watch briefly. “Do you have any questions for me?”

“Uh… when do I start?” He laughed, and hated the high pitch of it. He cleared his throat. 

“Immediately. The reason we’re so eager to have you is... “

Her phone suddenly rang and she picked up. “Mr. Han. Yes, I’m with him now. Yes. I know. Now? Yessir. I’ll be right there.”

She hung up the phone. “Something’s come up. I’m afraid…” She suddenly sighed and looked incredibly tired. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to sign the employment forms right away. I am very sorry.”

“I do have one question. Did you… seriously grade my homework?” Jiho’s eyebrows rose.

“Hahaha!” Jaehee’s laugh held a quiet bit of madness. “Yes. I did.”

Jiho bowed. “Thank you.”

She smiled at him. “Here.” She handed him a stack of forms. “Just sign here… and here… and here….”

This was real. He was going to work at C&R. C and freaking R! Every signature was like the unlocking of a massive door to a shining opportunity. His dad must be throwing a fit up in heaven. His boy did it! He probably couldn’t believe it. He said an opportunity would come knocked, but no way he expected something this amazing!

“Here’s our welcome packet, look over and sign everything you like. It includes our retirement, savings, and investment plans, alternate insurance, et cetera… I … am sorry I’ll have to escort you out. Security will provide you your badge you’ll need to enter when you start tomorrow.”

Jiho put a cap on his excitement but a glance at Jaehee’s smile told him he didn’t fool her at all. He was ecstatic. “Thank you ma’am. I mean… Jaehee.”

He followed her outside. “Take your time looking through those things. Be at your desk a little before 8 am to meet your new friends. Eat lunch in the common cafeteria to get to know your new coworkers.”

She suddenly removed her glasses. “You know… looking at you, reminds me a lot of when I started here. Working at C&R is indeed a great opportunity. Don’t lose appreciation for it. Now. If you’ll excuse me.” 

Jaehee placed the glasses back on her nose and walked back into the building, leaving Jiho to stand in his own disbelief and joy.

Jiho made his way down the city walk to the central park. The green was cut through with shady walking trails around a large lake. Jiho settled down on a bench and sighed. He then opened the package and began to read it over.

After about half an hour, his phone rang. It was his mother. He answered.

“Did you get the job?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you would. I wish I had good news for you.” Her voice was gloomy and sullen.

“What happened?” He gripped the phone.

“Your school called. They’re going to list you as delinquent, in line for expulsion. This will go on your permanent record.”

Jiho’s expression set. “Call them back. I’m withdrawing from SKY.”

“What?” His mother was voiceless with shock.

“The job I got? It’s with C&R… one of the biggest companies in South Korea.”

“C&R…?”

“That’s right. I have no need to attend classes any longer.”

“But Jiho… you’re on scholarship. They’ll require the tuition paid back right away if you drop out!”

“I don’t care. I’ll be getting paid enough to make it up.”

“They’ll want it immediately, not in payments.”

“Mom.” He shifted his eyes to make sure he was alone. “You said that we had enough to last us a while? Not according to my calculations. We should be out of money in the next month or two. You have savings besides those from selling the food truck business, right?”

His mother was silent on the other end. Then she said. “Those were for something else…”

“Mom. Please, just pay off the scholarship loan. I’ll pay you back. I’ll pay you back and then some! They’re going to match my retirement contributions. I’ll get shares in the company. This optional insurance will make sure you have the best medical care!”

“Jiho…”

“Mom! Listen to me!” His voice rose in urgency. “I know this is too fast and this is too hard to accept. But I’m not going to let you work okay? I need you to trust me. I’ll handle it. All the money, all the finances. I’ll save up. Put down money on a house! This is it! This is what I”ve been waiting for! Just… just pay the tuition. I’ll pay you back. I promise. I super promise…”

The silence on the other end just grew. “Your father… saved this money… penny by penny… for you. For your wedding… I…”

“Mom.” Pain assailed his heart and he closed his eyes and chewed his lip. “I know you’re not used to having money. My dad. He… never wanted it. To him it wasn’t important.” Jiho’s voice cracked and began to shake. “So long as we were together. But we’re not together anymore! He’s gone! We’re not together!” He wiped his tears angrily. “So please. Just. Just do this!”

His mother’s voice came through, small and quiet. “Okay… I’ll call the school. I’ll sign the withdrawal.”

Jiho sighed, trying to get control of his breathing. His face was burning hot and his blood was racing through him. He hated this feeling of desperation after elation. It exhausted him. “Thank you. I love you, mom.”

“I love you too… I’ll see you when you get home.”

He pressed the end call button and lowered his phone to his lap, staring out over the lake. Emotion rattled about inside him but he couldn’t let it out. It crawled up his neck, twisting his muscles and tightening them. He stood up to walk it off.

By the time he got home, he was in agony and had to lay down. A therapy pillow with electronic massage balls provided some relief. His phone vibrated.

“Grats on the job!” Yoosung had texted with a celebratory emoji.

Jiho smiled weakly. “Dude… you’re amazing.”

“Nah you’re amazing. You can finally relax!”

“No way.” Jiho texted. “My work has just begun. But… I guess I can celebrate.”

“Do you still have your LOLOL account? Wanna come play with me?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t. My neck is killing me and I can’t sit up.”

“Seriously? Have you seen a doctor?”

“Yeah. Hey. Maybe I can listen to you play?”

“That’ll work!”

Jiho sat up painfully and got his laptop and signed into LOLOL.

“Add me to friends! I’m Super Yoosung!”

“Gotcha. I’m Mighty Taco.”

“Wat. lol”

“Don’t knock it.” Jiho logged in and then activated his bluetooth headset. “Here, invite me to your voice chat.”

Soon, Yoosung’s voice filled his ears. “Hey, can you hear me?”

“I hear you just fine.” Just that small effort was tiring. He lay back down and got comfortable.

“You sound kinda sick.”

“I’m fine. What’s the dungeon?”

“Elynor’s Keep Insane.”

“Ohh… is that from the latest expansion?”

“Yep. It’s progression so… we’re going to die. A lot.”

“I look forward to it.” He smiled and closed his eyes, already feeling the knots work out of his neck.


	3. Choice

Jiho took the elevator from the basement archives, up to the accounting division’s floor. By the time he made it to the break room, the smell of his mother’s signature spicy seafood stew had made itself known in the kitchen. He wasn’t the best at making social inroads through conversation, but if he knew anything about people, it was that people loved food. Both his father and his mother were cooks and his father’s taco truck was sorely missed downtown.

Sure enough, a man’s dark-haired head poked into the cafeteria. He smiled and waved. “Hello! I’m Jiho. I got hired a couple weeks ago!”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Oh yes, I know who you are. So you finally deign to rise from the depths to mingle with us commoners?”

Jiho flinched. “I know I should have come up here for lunch before, but I was really inundated with all I had to do. And I would lose track of time! I hope this soup makes up for it!”

Jiho pulled an extra set of bowl and spoon from his lunch bag.

The man’s expression both softened and lit up at the sight and, after a quick check of his surroundings, sauntered into the breakroom. His suit was well tailored and a fine shiny black. A giant watch of pure gold was on his wrist. “Then I suppose all is forgiven.”

Jiho’s smile returned as the man sat next to him. “You make this yourself?”

“No, my mom prepared it. Try it! It’s real broth.”

The man took a deep sip. “Aaaah… I haven’t had soup this good in a long time. It almost brings a tear to my eye. You’re so lucky. You live with your mom still though?”

“Yeah. She’s a bit sick… so I help take care of her.”

The man nodded. “Hm. Yes, my mother got a bit sick so we ended up deciding to put her up in a nice assisted living community in Florida. She really loves it there. We visit about once a year…”

“With your dad?”

“Oh goodness no.” He scoffed. “They got divorced when I was young… oh! Where are my manners. I’m Park Seojun, I’m the Senior Accountant here.” He took another sip of the soup. “Well… one of them.” He winked. “So how do you like working here, Jiho?”

“I really like it. It’s nice and quiet, and I’m really good with numbers. So I’m enjoying the work.”

“Enjoying the work a little much though… you should get out more!” Seojun glanced around and leaned over. “Just between you and me, talk about you has been making the rounds. Especially among some of the ladies.” He winked.  
Jiho thought back to the receptionist and her eager response to his eye color. “Oh. I guess…”

“Don’t be shy! Most of the girls here don’t get out much, so in-office dating is all they have. There’s way more guys than girls here so… you’re lucky to get your pick.”

He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a picture of a beautiful woman on the beach. She was wearing almost nothing, her pale skin underneath a wide red umbrella. “This is my fiance on our last vacation together. Ha-eun… We met back when I was in C&R’s US headquarters.”

Jiho couldn’t help but blush and avert his eyes and Seojun threw an arm around his shoulders. “Gorgeous isn’t she? There’s a couple of girls here almost as good looking as her… I could introduce you.”

Jiho resisted looking again. “Um… when is your wedding?”

“We haven’t set a date yet, we’re both busy with our careers, haha.”

“...oh… That’s… too bad.”

Seojun put the photo back into his jacket. “That’s the way it is. The corporate world is survival of the fittest. We didn’t get this far leaving work early you know.”

“Like… dog eat dog?” He glanced at him again, curious.

Seojun shook his head. “Nah. We all get along here. It’s more of… a competition for resources! There are only so many spots for senior positions, there are only so many big accounts and major projects that come up every year. It’s only the people who are here and have the time here to do them who get those accounts, and that’s the stuff that makes for advancement.”

“I see… I guess you’re here all the time then?”

“Pretty much. Even on weekends. But then again, I’m senior, so I’m first in line. The Alphas eat first!” He finished off his soup. “Anyway, it was great tasting something this good. I hope you make it a habit to bring your mom’s cooking.”

“Yeah… and thanks for your advice.”  
Seojun winked at him again. “Oh and the offer is still out there. We’re not allowed to openly flirt in the office. So… I’m only telling you because I’ve been asked to. See you later, Jiho!”

He gave him a casual wave and walked out of the break room. Jiho sipped his remaining soup, thinking back on that receptionist. Was she asking about him? He’d never had a girlfriend before. He shook his head. Now was not the time for that. After his mother spent their last savings paying off his scholarship, they were pretty much penniless. He couldn’t think about a relationship now.

He opened his phone and scrolled down to a list of restaurants. Today was his mother’s birthday. There were several nice restaurants that were suddenly available to him now that he had gotten paid for the first time. What better way to say thank you than to use some of that money from his first check to take her out to dinner? He clicked on a reservation for that night and then texted his mom.

“I have a surprise for you on your Birthday. I hope you like it.”

His mother responded back with a heart emoji. “I’ll love anything you give me.”

He grinned to himself, imagining her thrilled reaction. It would be her first birthday after his father’s death. She’d woken up gloomy this morning. He could imagine her sitting at home lonely and sad by herself and sighed. His father usually got her small things for her birthday, like a bouquet of flowers and chocolates or a new dress from her favorite designer. He couldn’t make up for his father’s absence. But if he could make her forget it even for a moment…

His phone suddenly rang and it was Jaehee! He quickly picked up. “Hello, this is Lee Jiho speaking!”

“Yes, I hope I’ve caught you at an opportune time. How is work so far?”

“Of course not! Work is great! And the pay is even better!” He beamed. “Today’s my mom’s birthday. I”ll be taking her out to a nice restaurant tonight. She’s going to be so thrilled!” 

“That’s wonderful Jiho, please give her my regards.” Jaehee cleared her throat. “I have an urgent request. We have a major meeting tonight and need a quick audit of an old account that dates back about twenty years. Let me give you the serial numbers you’ll need to examine.”

Jiho pulled a pen from his pocket and a napkin from the holder at the center of the table and wrote as she read out a series of numbers.

“We have a potential contract with EVA incorporated. It’s headed by an former employee of C&R, we’re looking forward to this partnership, but Mr. Han is nothing but thorough…”

“I’ll say… a 20 year old account?”

“A lot of money is involved.”

“Can I ask how much?”

“Two billion dollars.”

Jiho froze. “Woah.”

“Yes. Please make this your top priority.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Her voice grew gentler as she smiled. “I’ve heard good things about you from the department, only that you tend to make yourself scarce?”

“Not intentional! I just had lunch in the breakroom today!” He quickly started packing up. 

“Good. We try to have tight bonds here at C&R. Your social life is factored into your general employee review.”

“Got it.” He walked out of the breakroom back to the elevator. “Should I send you the audit when I’m done?”

“That will suffice.”

“Then I’ll get to it now.”

“Thank you, Jiho.”

The line cut just as the elevator opened back up to the archive. He hurried past the reception desk and scanned his card into the silo room.

His work space was simple. A large double monitor computer with a calculator and several filing cabinets. The computer allowed him to enter the serial numbers for the old records that were stored in the silos. The silos were like giant vending machines that spit out tapes by barcode. These tapes fit into these old mainframes that ran the defunct program no one could use. The accounting program was fine, but Jiho preferred just a pencil and calculator.

Once he printed out the records, he would sit with his calculator and enter numbers unnaturally quickly. His eyes unfocused as the numbers danced about in his brain, growing larger with credits and shrinking with debits. The goal would be for every penny of these numbers to be accounted for. Any missing funds would be set on a separate sheet of paper for reconciliation later.

His goal at the end of the day: make sure that that sheet of paper was fully explained. C&R, even back then, had no issues making sure every penny was maintained. Once everything was in the clear, he spent the rest of the day entering the record into the new financial records system.

It was a dream to him. In the underground, there was no clock or shining sun to tell him how long he was swimming in this sea of numbers. It could be stormy out and he wouldn’t know. It was a perfect environment to immerse himself in accounts payable and receivable, taxes, and compound interest.

Today was the first day he actually had a deadline, however. And once he was completed with examining the records, he checked his phone for the time. He had two more hours before the meeting was set to start and the list of dollars yet to be accounted for was unusually long.

He brought up the company invoices for the dates of he unaccounted for debits and began to search through them. His mouse wheel rattled as he scrolled down and down looking for an invoice, a cancelled check, an expense report that matched his sheet of missing funds. But after another hour, over half of his missing funds sheet was still unaccounted for.

He puffed out his cheeks. “What am I missing?” He whispered to himself.

His phone suddenly rattled. It was Jaehee. “One second, I’m almost done…”

He picked up his office phone and dialed Seojun. “Hello, hello, Blue Eyes!” The man said teasingly.

“Hey. Uh…” He paused, unnerved by the greeting. “Can we pull bank records from twenty years ago?”

“Yeah maybe? But that’ll take days. What do you need?”

“I don’t have days. I have like… half an hour. I was tasked to do an audit of a series of files and … I'm missing like… 50,000 US dollars….”

“No way!” Saejun laughed. “You must have screwed up. Do it again.”

His phone beeped. Jaehee was calling back.

“No, I didn’t screw up…”

“Hey, I gotta do my own work, man. Like I said, you can’t pull records that old that quick. No way.”

“Alright… thanks.”

Seojun hung up and he quickly picked up Jaehee’s call. “Ma’am? Sorry I’m still resolving the accounts. I’ve run into a problem. We’re missing $50k USD and I can’t find it.”

“Are you certain?”

“I’m absolutely certain. The only records I haven’t checked are the bank statements. They’re not in the system.”

“But our bank statements are automatically entered.”

They both sat in a brief silence. Jaehee spoke first. “This is a major problem.”

“What do I do?”

“Let me bring in Mr. Han.”

Jiho felt his heart begin to race. Even though he’d heard the name Jumin Han a lot and this was the man who put him where he is today, it was the first time actually talking to him.

“This is Jumin.” His voice was soft, deep, and almost robotic.

“Mr. Han. I have Lee Jiho on the line, the one you hired for this project.”

This project? The only reason he was hired was for this specific project?

“He’s finished his examination of the EVA CEO’s accounts since he was CFO of our company and has discovered 50,000 US dollars unaccounted for.”

“We’ve examined all records?” Han asked.

“Not all. The bank records are not in the system. It could be days before we get them, if we get them at all.”

“Then we put the project on hold until we get them… Lee Jiho...”

Jiho sat up bolt upright. “Yes sir?”

“I’ll need you to get us a thorough financial report documenting your findings that I can take to the shareholders to explain the delay of the project. I’ll need it first thing in the morning.”

“Ah…” Jaehee’s voice came through. 

“What is it?” Mr. Han asked.

His mother’s birthday dinner... There was no way he would be able to pull together this work and take his mother out.

Jiho’s eyes narrowed with regret. “I can do it. No problem Mr. Han. I’ll have it on your desk in the morning.”

“Excellent. Jaehee, prepare a correspondence to the EVA representatives informing them of the delay. If there is nothing else…”

“That’s all Mr. Han.”

“Very well then.”

Mr. Han’s end of the line dropped. Jaehee’s voice was soft. “I can handle the reports Jiho. I know you need to get home…”

“No, I said I would do it. So I’ll do it. These big projects don’t come along very often… and I was hired to do this specific project right? I’m getting paid for this right?”

Jaehee's voice was hesitant. “I… yes…”

“Then… I accepted the job. I have to do it. I’m sure mom will understand.”

“Alright. I’ll get to my end of the job.”

Jaehee hung up and Jiho sighed and dialed his mother. “Hey mom? I had a surprise for your birthday tonight but… there’s an emergency at the office. I won’t be able to come home until it's done.”

“What? What happened?”

“A lot of money has gone missing. A major deal is off the table until I account for it. So I have to write a report first thing.”

“Don’t they have a whole department for this?”

“They do, but the system is very old and I was hired because they couldn’t use it. This is … my one job. I can’t refuse it. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Super promise.”

“I’ve heard that from you a lot lately.”

“Please believe me.”

“I do believe that you mean it. But I was afraid this would happen.”

“What would happen?”

“Never mind. I’ll… I’ll have dinner in the fridge. Do a good job and come home to rest, Jiho.”

“Love you…” Jiho swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I’m really sorry.”

“I know, honey. I love you too.” 

Jiho hung up, his heart sinking down to his stomach. She did understand… right?”

By the time he finished his report and came up out of the basement into the real world, it was dark outside. He hated the idea of spending his hard earned cash on a taxi, but his neighborhood wasn’t the best, and taking the subway at night was risky. The taxi dropped him off and he quickly moved to the door of his townhouse and unlocked it.

He opened to a darkened living room. The house still smelled like a seafood stew. His mother must have been in bed already. He tiptoed up the stairs to her room. The door was opened just a crack and he lightly pushed it open further. The room she had shared with his father had barely changed. All his things were still untouched. Only he was no longer sleeping beside her.

For the first time, she had spent her birthday alone.

Jiho closed the door again and walked back to his room. He sank into his chair and sighed. His monitor lit up and his eyes moved to the LOLOL icon in the corner. He clicked on it. Sure enough, Yoosung was online.

“Hey buuuuddy!” Came Yoosung’s greeting.

“Hey. :(“

“D: What’s the matter?”

“I missed my mom’s birthday. I had to stay late from work. :’(“

“That sucks.”

“What are you doing?”

“Farming these stupid gems. The things we do for progression.”

“Can I help?”

“I guess? But you’re way behind me on progression…”

“I know, I just wanna talk. Are you free?”

Yoosung opened up a voice chat with him. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I just feel like crap that’s all.” Jiho said glumly. “I had to do it. There was no way I could get home in time.”

“I’m sure your mom will understand.” Yoosung said.

“Yeah but she was here by herself for her birthday…”

“Your dad didn’t attend?”

Jiho’s chin rested in his hand. “My dad died last year.”

“Oh…” Yoosung was silent for a long time. “Now I understand.”

“You do, huh?”

“Yeah. My cousin left this world last year too. The feeling might not be exactly like you and your dad probably but… we were really close. She was like my sister.”

The two sat in silence for a long time. They had already heard the usual words of condolences. The words ‘I’m sorry for your loss’, ‘It must be hard for you’, and ‘they’re in a better place’ were all worn out for the both of them. They both didn’t want to hear them any more, much less inflict them on each other.

“What happened to your Dad?” Yoosung finally asked.

“Car accident. Your cousin?”

“...I… actually don’t know.”

That gave Jiho pause. “You don’t know?”

“No. Rika’s…. My cousin’s fiance says she killed herself. But I just can’t believe that.”

As he spoke, Yoosung’s character never stopped killing enemies after enemies, farming for his progression items. “She was such a bright and happy person. She lived to help others. I’ve thought about it a long time. No way she really killed herself. I can’t believe that. Plus, we never found her body and the investigation into her death was just closed!”

“What do you think happened?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think her fiance… killed her?”

Yoosung’s character stopped moving.

Jiho chewed his lip. “Sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”

“No. It’s okay… I’m glad… you’re actually listening to me. No one else does.”

“Have you talked to the police?”

“Yeah we both did. They took V’s side.”

“V?”

“Her fiance. That’s his name… I mean, his pen-name. It’s V.”

“Oh.”

“He used to hang around a lot. Now he’s gone most of the time. Always traveling.”

“Yeah, sounds like guilt to me. That’s pretty awful.”

“Everyone’s moved on about her death. People don’t really talk about her. They’re not looking into why we don’t have a body. They don’t question what V says…. They just tell me to shut up!” Yoosung’s voice started to tremble. “It makes me wonder if she even ever had friends at all…”

Jiho listened as Yoosung sniffled over the voice line.

“I'm sorry.” He said brokenly. “You’re having such a hard day and now I’m dumping my problems on you.”

Jiho blinked tears of sympathy from his eyes. “Sounds like we both have no one else to talk to. You can talk to me. It’s fine.”

Yoosung sighed. “Hey… let me party with you and we can go grind some EXP and get you caught up in the game.”

“Huh? What about your farming?”

“Ah… I'm almost done. Besides, It’ll be nice if I can raid with you later.”

“Uh… sure!” Jiho was grateful for the shift in conversation. “I can’t stay up too late. I still have to work tomorrow.”


	4. Jumin Han

Jiho yawned as he stepped into the lobby of the C&R building carrying his report in a small briefcase. It was clean but slightly worn from sitting in his father’s closet for years. The receptionist smiled brightly at him. 

“Welcome back, Mr. Lee.” 

He returned her smile. “Hey. I have to deliver a report to Mr. Han. Can you let him know I’m here?”

“He’s already expecting you.” She leaned forward on her elbows. Her shirt was partly open, and he automatically averted his eyes, blushing.

“Thanks. I um… well, I’ll see you again later.” He stumbled away to the elevators and scanned his card. Did she really have to do that? He rubbed the back of his neck, the vision of her creamy skin emblazoned on his retinas.

He suddenly regretted gaming all night with Yoosung. 

The doors opened to the Executive suite. Jumin’s ‘office’ was actually an entire floor of the office building with full panel windows overlooking the city. The lobby was occupied by several uniformed body guards thick enough to lift trucks. They stood still like statues, facing forward, wires coming from earpieces. 

Jaehee was sitting at a desk on the phone. She gave him a smile and he waved at her and took a seat to wait his turn. Next to him, a man waited, pulling at his collar and shaking his leg. He clutched his briefcase and checked his phone and put it down, only to check it again.

Jiho watched him and nodded, trying to be reassuring. Was he in trouble? Was he going to lose his job?

“Mr. Kim?” Jaehee’s eyes lifted from her desk. “Mr. Han will see you now.”

The man stood and schooled his face to look resolute, as though he were off to meet the guillotine. 

Jiho craned his neck to see when the door opened, but he saw nothing. He sat back against his seat and looked down at the briefcase. He never remembered his father ever using this.

He heard the man’s voice through the door and he looked but then things turned quiet again. Feeling sudden nerves, he ran through his report in his head. It was just numbers. Twenty years ago, a series of transactions debited the company accounts a total of 50,000 dollars with no known recipient. The bank records were missing. He would simply need to get the bank records to resolve the accounts which could take a few days.

That was all. There was nothing to be nervous about.

The door opened and the man came out, looking glum and wiping his face with a cloth. Whatever he had tried to do, it was not successful. He turned and met Jiho’s bewildered, innocent expression with an acid look of his own and Jiho leaned away. He watched him leave for a few moments, but then Jaehee called his name.

She was still on the phone for something so he didn’t bother her. He stood up, walked to the large panel doors.

Much to his shock, the doors opened for him. Behind them, another pair of bodyguards were there just to open to him. “Mr. Han.” One of the bodyguards said, using a high-sounding honorific. “Lee Jiho.”

He couldn’t help but gape. This place was more like a palace! But instead of a throne: a large desk and a large black office chair, the back rising over the head of the man sitting in it.

Jumin Han had his phone in the crook of his neck and Jiho waited for permission to sit, letting his eyes roam the room, marveling at the chandelier, the fireplace, the paintings and photographs. But as Jumin leaned back against his chair, it was clear he was used to the extravagance.

“Meow!”

His eyes fell to a beautiful blue gaze in a white fuzzy face. The cat rubbed against his pant leg. “Oh hi.”

“Meow….” The feathery tail curled about him.

What did it want? He didn’t have any food. He looked up. 

Jumin Han was off the phone and staring at him. “You have something for me?”

“Yes.” He walked up and opened the briefcase, pulling out the folder and placing it in his outstretched hand.

But Jumin just put it to the side, with a stack of other similar folders. “Please, sit down. This is our first meeting.”

“Ah… thank you for the opportunity. I hope I’ve done well so far.” As soon as Jiho’s bottom hit the chair, the white cat was in his lap like it belonged there. Jiho blinked and then lifted his hand to scratch her ears.

“You like cats?”

“Well… to be honest. I’ve never really been around them. But she’s friendly. You must take good care of her!”

Jumin’s cold grey eyes lifted to him and stared. Jiho felt his neck lock up. But then that silent focus shifted to the cat. What Jumin was observing he had no idea, but Jiho suddenly felt he needed to be more careful. 

“You’ve never been around them?” Jumin asked.

“No. The townhouse where we live. The landlord doesn’t permit pets.”

Jumin’s voice was almost sleepy. “Doesn’t permit pets?”

“No, sir. If you’re caught with a pet, you can be evicted unless you get rid of it…” He flinched. 

The white cat was digging its claws into his leg and pressing down. It made him both ticklish and painful. He struggled not to squirm, gripping the arm rests. Jumin closed his eyes, deep in thought. After an interminable amount of seconds, he opened them again.

“Is that… legal?”

“Ahhh…” Jiho felt his eyes start to water. The cat was really getting into its torturous exercise, purring loudly and turning his leg into a pincushion. “Yes. Unfortunately. Many tenants either have to find other spaces or… unfortunately their pets are given up.”

Jumin gave a sad little sigh and looked away. “That can’t be legal…” He reached over to his phone and pressed a button. “Ms. Kang.”

“Yes, Mr. Han.”

“I need a report on landlords and animal rights…”

While Jumin was occupied, Jiho quickly grabbed the cat to put her on the ground, but it went completely limp, pulling herself down again. He wouldn’t get another opportunity. Jumin turned his attention back to him.

“The world can be so cruel and unfeeling. The idea that landlords can just evict cats… how can anyone allow that to happen.” Jumin gave him a sudden look of sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that your upbringing has deprived you of their companionship. You seem to have a natural way with them.”

“I do?”

“Yes.”

The cat had stopped making a mess of his leg and curled up. When Jumin looked at her, the corners of his mouth curled up. 

“Oh… um… sir…about the financial report… I will need to get your signature on the request for the bank statements.”

Jumin just looked at him, silent.

Jiho continued. “I figured, if I called and said I needed them now, they would ignore me. But they wouldn’t ignore it if the request came directly from you.”

Jumin sighed and opened the folder. There, sitting on top, was the records request form. He took it out and took the pen from his jacket. He signed the paper and held it out to him.

Jiho looked down at the cat. He nudged it. “Ah… ex.... Excuse me…” 

“Oh.”

Much to Jiho’s horror and embarrassment. Jumin stood up, walked all the way around the desk and handed him the paper. Then he picked up the cat. “It’s time for Elizabeth the 3rd’s nap. You can go.”

“Yes sir.” He stood up and walked to the door. As he left, he cast one glance behind him, spying the Heir to the Han fortune giving the cat a kiss on her little pink nose.

As soon as Jaehee saw him, her eyes went wide and she reached into her desk and handed him a lint roller. White cat hair was all over his crotch.

He could feel his face burning with embarrassment as he made his way to the bathroom. After several minutes, he’d gotten most of the fur out of his pants. His cellphone rang. “Hello…”

“Jiho! It’s Seojun! I need you to come to the office immediately!”

Jiho lifted his head. “What? Did something happen?”

“Don’t play innocent. I know what you did! Meet me in my office now!”

Seojun’s angry tone set him on edge. “Okay. I’m on my way.” 

He checked his pants one more time and once he was satisfied, he was back in the elevator, heading down to the accounting division’s floor.

Seojun’s office was dark, and slightly cramped, the walls lined with file cabinets around a scratched up desk. Seojun stood, arms crossed. “Close the door.”

Jiho complied but didn’t distance himself from it. Seojun’s friendly aura was completely gone, replaced with a dangerous malice.

“Who said you could meet with Jumin Han without my approval?”

“Your approval?”

“Was I not clear enough? I am the Senior Accountant here. Does that mean nothing to you?”

Jiho’s eyes shifted about for an explanation.

“Do you think I worked myself to the bone for 15 years, just so you could walk over me like a stepping stone? Who exactly do you think you are?!”

Seojun’s voice was rising and his face was turning red. “I underestimated you. You looked like an innocent little lamb, but I see now… you’re ambitious! You’re seeking to replace me aren’t you?”

“No!” Jiho finally found his tongue. “It’s nothing like that! I didn’t seek Mr. Han’s attention. He’s the one who asked me for the rep-”

“That’s not how things are done! You report to me and me only. I am the face of this team. Not you. Do you understand?”

Jiho hung his head. “Y...yes, sir.”

Silence hung in the air and for a moment no one moved. Seojun slowly relaxed, eying him with suspicion. “What did you discuss about that report you turned in?”

Jiho looked up. “Nothing. We just talked about cats.”

Seojun sneered. “Don’t play coy with me. Tell me the truth!”

“I am telling the truth!” Jiho’s eyes narrowed. “He took the report and he didn’t even look at it!”

Seojun huffed. “Good. Maybe your gaffe is actually salvageable. Work from a newbie like you should be properly ignored. Alright… I’ll believe you for now. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to contact the bank for the records he requested….” Jiho grumbled, bristling.

He nodded. “Good. You get those records and you will hand them to me. I will hand them to Mr. Han. Understood? I can’t have newbies like you messing things up.” He gave a dismissive wave. “You may go.”

Jiho walked out, hot with embarrassment and trying to ignore the eyes of everyone on him as he left the accounting floor. He was only doing what he was told? Why was he suddenly getting yelled at?

He made his way out of the building, ignoring the receptionist’s wave and getting out for some fresh air. It was still fairly early but the people were in the buildings now and the streets were empty. The banking offices were a good fifteen minute walk away but he felt like he needed the walk to finish processing what happened.

Jumin Han… he seemed oblivious to the effect he had on people. The terrified eyes of the man before him and the furious eyes of Seojun… they both had the same roots. Both of them wanted to curry favor with Jumin Han.

He passed by shops of expensive clothing and cafe’s selling fancy dishes. Seojun’s words echoed in his head. He’d worked for 15 years at C&R and he still had an office that looked like a dingy library storage room. Jumin had a fancy office by virtue of his birth.

He was suddenly reminded of the last conversation he had with his father. If someone invited you to a party and they were rich, you had to go. That was where the opportunity was. And opportunity was few and far between. No wonder the guy flipped out. It could have been him presenting the documents to Jumin Han.

Jiho walked into the bank and asked to see the manager, showing the paper with Jumin’s signature. The teller’s face grew pale. He watched her wide eyed expression. She went and whispered to her manager who’s eyes also widened.

What was it about this guy that invoked such terror? There was something more than money about this guy.

Within minutes, Jiho was not just talking to the manager, but to the CEO of the bank. “I understand that this might be an inconvenience, but we need these bank statements immediately.” Jiho kept his expression carefully blank.

“Not a problem at all, Mr. Lee.”

Jiho blinked as the man who had to be old enough to be his dad used an honorific to address him. Realization hit him like a lightning bolt. They weren’t just reacting to Jumin Han. They were reacting to him as if he represented Jumin. As if the specter of the Han family were standing right behind him, ready to rain down retribution if they didn’t do as he asked. His eyes shifted to the people around him. They were staring but as soon as he looked their way they pretended to be very busy.

The bank CEO reached behind his desk. “Can I offer you some tea?”

Jiho opened his mouth to refuse, but then he began to feel something pleasurable stir in the back of his mind. He suddenly smiled. “Thank you for your hospitality. I wouldn’t mind it at all. Can I ask you to do me one more favor?”

“Yes?”

“May I have two copies of those records?”

Jiho returned to C&R as if he had awakened from a long nap. A confident smile radiated from his face and he waved at the receptionist before making the long trip to the accounting floor. Seojun was waiting for him.

“You have the records?” 

“I do! Sorry about earlier.” 

Seojun took the papers and didn’t acknowledge his apology. “Good. I’ll take these to Mr. Han after I’ve examined them for errors. You can… go back to your regular duties.”

Jiho did not. Instead he returned to the executive suite where Jaehee was still working. She gave him a surprised look. “Hi Ms. Jaehee. Here’re the records Mr. Han requested.”

Jaehee blinked. “You seem … chipper.”

“Word travels fast around here… Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”

“Ms. Kang!”

They both turned to look. Jumin was standing in the doorway. “Oh. Lee Jiho. Just who I wanted to see.”

“Eh?” Jiho pointed to himself.

“I want you to run a report. This time, for organizing a dinner to help educate landlords about the benefits of their tenants having cats.”

Jaehee sighed, and looked to Jiho with a mix of disappointment and betrayal. “Another cat project? Is that what you were talking about?”

“Well…” Jiho began.

“Cats are being abandoned by their owners due to draconian leases on property. We must do what we can to discourage this heartless practice.” Jumin continued talking as if Jiho hadn’t said anything.

“I’ll get right on it.” Jiho said with a slight bow. 

“Good.” Jumin adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves. “What you said was so distressing I had to have a cup of wine.” 

His eyes moved to the elevator. The dial was moving towards their floor. “Who’s coming? I don't have any more appointments?”

Jiho’s blood ran cold. Was it Seojun? “Oh. Uh… I’d better get back to work.”

He quickly walked back, ignoring the elevator in favor of the stairwell and taking the stairs two at a time. Seojun told him he had to compete for resources. If he got angry at him for competing, that was his problem.

He made it down to the archives with no issues, but felt like Indiana Jones, making off with some sort of sacred treasure. There would be no way to avoid Seojun finding out that he had beaten him to the punch. But now he had another project of Jumin’s along with his regular work. So long as he stayed close to him, he’d be untouchable.

As the clock ran out for the day, he completed his review of all the records and put them into the accounting system. His phone finally rang and it was Jaehee.

“How are you doing?”

“Just fine.”

“Mr. Han needs you to run another audit, this time for a record of three years. We think more than 50,000 disappeared.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” Jiho grumbled.

“You know what surprises me? You haven’t been here a month and you’ve already started quite a bit of trouble for yourself. Though I can’t… fully place the blame on you. I guess I should have guided you but… there was just no time.”

“Let me guess. Seojun?”

“You shouldn’t address him so informally… I told you that the usual rules of courtesy apply in the accounting division. Were it not for Mr. Han’s approval of you, you would have been fired immediately. Do keep your head down from now on…”

Jaehee sounded like she was pleading with him. “What happened?”

“The Senior Accountant arrived with a near identical report. I’m looking over them now. Your records… seem more complete than his.”

Jiho sat up. “More complete? He took things out? Can you show me?”

“What do you mean ‘he took things out?’”

“He wanted me to report to him instead of directly to Mr. Han. So I did. I reported to him and gave the second copy to you.”

“That’s not what he meant and you know it. Are you trying to cause trouble? I think it’s best if you let me handle the Senior Accountant.”

Jiho sank back down. “Alright.”

“Do you know why he might have altered the bank records?”

“You’d have to ask him.”

“I think I will.” 

“Is there anything else, Ms. Jaehee?”

“Watch yourself from now on. Making waves like that… it’s not good. It will come back to bite you.”

“Seo-... I mean the Senior accountant told me that there was competition for ‘resources’ here. That I had to compete for them.”

Jaehee huffed. “Well… if you’re going to go up against him, I won’t stop you. But he’s played this game a lot longer than you. Remember that.”

“I will.”

Jiho went home, tired and hungry. His mother greeted him at the door with a hot plate of dumplings and a kiss on the cheek and it felt like the cares of the day melted off him. Everything would be fine so long as she was here and happy.

But he couldn’t sleep without logging into LOLOL and saying hello to Yoosung. Much to his surprise, his friend wasn’t the first to greet him.

“Hellooooo, Is this Superman Yoosung’s best friend in the whole wide world?” Came the private message.

Jiho’s mouse hovered over the report button. “I’m not sure if I should be speaking to someone named Hacker God.”

“Don't be scared! I’m not going to Hack you! I just want to meet you?!!!” His character was spamming random emojis that filled the chat box and scrolled away his message.

“Did you Hack Yoosung’s account? I’ve never seen you before…”

“I know Yoosung! He talks about you all the time!”

“Are you in his guild?”

“...no, his guildmaster hates me. It’s a long story… but enough about that. I need to know something important! Do you like Yoosung?”

“You should be able to answer that yourself if you know him so well…” Jiho picked up his phone and opened LINE. He opened his conversation with Yoosung. “Hey, some weirdo on LOLOL is saying he knows you IRL.”

Jiho looked back up at the screen. Hacker God’s toon was in front of him jumping repeatedly “Are you the S to his M? Inquiring minds want to know!”

JIho’s hands returned to the keyboard. “I’m blocking you.”

“No wait! Before you do, just answer me!”

“I’m not sharing any personal details with a hacker.” He hit the block button.

Yoosung logged in a second later. Hacker God was spamming crying emoji’s. But then looked ‘shocked’ and logged out.

“Who was saying he knew me?” Yoosung asked. 

“I don’t know. Some weirdo. Probably a troll. Woah… is that the new Epic armor?”

“Yeah I finished farming last night.”

“You’re insane. Don’t you sleep?”

“Yes, in class!”

Jiho snickered. “Alright well, I got to tell you what happened at work today… it was absolutely insane!”


	5. Repurcussions

Jiho opened his eyes to an eerie quiet. His phone alarm had awakened him. Otherwise, he would have overslept.

There was no light under his bedroom door and he didn’t hear anything moving in the house. He checked the time. Shouldn’t his mom be awake?

He opened the door and rubbed his hair out of his eyes, yawning. 

A strained coughing was coming from the bathroom and he felt a rush of adrenaline. “Mom?”

“Don’t … don’t come in.” Her voice was a moan.

She was throwing up. He could tell. He stood outside the door. “Do you need help? What’s wrong?”

“I have… a migraine.”

Jiho’s hand lowered from the knob of the door, at a loss as to what to do. Normally, he would just call the school and tell him he wasn’t coming in. But after what happened at work yesterday, he wondered what would happen if he begged off now. He straightened his back and opened the door.

His mother was leaned over the toilet, painfully dry heaving. “Don’t turn on the lights.”

A bottle of pills was on the floor next to her. “Did you throw up the meds?”

“Yeah. I’m just… waiting…” She still managed to smile, even though she was sweating with pain.

“I’ll need to take you to the doctor.” He picked up the medicine bottle and put it on the counter.

“What about your work?” As though reading his mind, she added. “You’re under a lot of pressure because you’re new there. Right?”

Jiho rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.” 

He was backed against the wall. There was no savings any more to hold them over. He couldn’t go back to school. He’d bet everything on C&R.

“I’ll call an ambulance.”

“An ambulance?”

“I can’t call a cab if you’re going to throw up in the back seat. Plus the paramedics will be able to give you medications intravenously. It’s okay, mom. We don’t have to worry about any bills.”

He picked up the phone and saw a message from Yoosung. “I know this is kinda sudden but… I kinda… really need you right now.”

He quickly typed out. “Hey, morning’s a bit hectic. I’ll let you know when I’m free. Hang tight alright?”

He shook his head and dialed emergency services. Then he went and sat down next to his mother to wait until the flashing lights pierced the downstairs windows. The paramedics tromped up the stairs. He knew they were there to help, but they felt like invaders, like ants, like aliens. He could only sit while they checked her blood pressure, asked her questions. There was nothing he could do for her. Eventually, they helped her down the stairs into a wheelchair.

One of them handed him a card. “We’ll be taking her to Mercy Central Hospital. Did you want to ride in the back?”

“I can’t.”

The paramedic blinked. “Aren’t you her next of kin? Is there another relative?”

“No. I… I have to go to work.” He handed the paramedic his business card. “Have the doctor call me once she’s okay.”

The paramedic looked at him with seething disgust, took the card without another word and walked outside. In a voice Jiho was sure he was meant to hear, the man said, “Kids nowadays care nothing for their parents.”

The back of the ambulance slammed shut and the truck took his mother away in the grey morning drizzle. He turned to go back inside.

This was for the best. After all, Mercy Central was the best hospital in the city. He could afford all the tests, the best treatments. Who knew? Maybe they’d get an actual diagnosis? He tied his tie about his neck and stared at himself in the mirror. 

It was hard. But these things were always hard, then they got better.

He shrugged into his suit jacket, grabbed his umbrella and headed for the subway with countless others.

When he arrived at C&R, a caravan of news trucks was parked outside the building and journalists were breathlessly describing a story to the camera in front of them.

As he drew close he heard the words, ‘embezzlement’, and ‘scandal’. Word had gotten out about the EVA Corp case? 

A pile of papers was on his desk in the archives. It was a long list of serial numbers to be extracted from the silos, audited and reported. He counted. Fifty-three! He sighed.

He took out his phone and dialed Yoosung and leaned his ear against the phone while he started entering the commands to the silo machines to extract the tapes.

“Hey, Jiho.” Yoosung’s voice was glum.

“What’s up?”

“V’s back.”

“He is?”

“Yeah. He was on the messenger today…”

“Messen-”

“He didn’t even say anything about Rika! He was just talking about his trip. I’m still here wondering what happened, and he’s acting like nothing happened! And when I try to ask him anything? It’s always a secret and he doesn’t want to tell me.”

Jiho’s fingers slowed on the keyboard. “Why do you still hang around him?”

“Because he’s the only one who knows the truth!”

“What about her parents?”

“Her parents… well… my aunt and uncle... They were kinda strange. My parents didn’t like them. I don’t like them either. They didn’t even attend her funeral.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! She loved everyone but…” Yoosung began to choke. “No one loved her!”

“I… Yoosung, I’m sorry.”

“No wonder… no wonder she took her own life. Maybe she knew that no one really cared… except… I mean I cared. Maybe if I had just shown that to her a little more, she…”

“Hey.” Jiho interrupted him. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

Yoosung sniffled. “I can’t help it. I just keep thinking about our life together. I never noticed anything was wrong. She seemed fine. If I had just gotten closer to her… maybe I could have caught it in time.”

“I know how you feel.” Jiho said.

“You do?”

“Yeah… the only reason my dad was out that night was… because I went to a party against his wishes. Then… we kinda got into an argument. Dad got distracted. Ran a red light. And that was it.”

Yoosung was quiet. 

“There’s no question in my mind as to why my Dad’s not here anymore. It’s clear-cut. And I have to live with that. Yoosung, you…” Jiho swallowed hard. “You don’t have to blame yourself. Rika probably had a lot of things going on that had nothing to do with you. So don’t carry that around unless you absolutely have to… understand?”

Yoosung sighed. “Yeah.”

“I have a lot going on so I have to go.”

“Thanks for talking to me.”

“Of course. I said you could talk to me. I meant it.” Jiho smiled fondly.

Yoosung let out a shy little laugh. 

“Get some sleep. It’ll help calm you down.”

“Okay… have a good day at work Jiho.”

Jiho took the phone from his ear and pressed to end the call. Then he put the phone on vibrate and set it aside. He massaged his neck and tried to refocus, diving back down into a sea of numbers. But the lines of equations were a cold comfort. He kept imagining his mother alone in the hospital. Was she cold in a hospital gown? Was she scared? They would probably give her a scan. He would try to call at lunch if he couldn’t get ahold of her.

Lunch. There was no homemade meal this time. After hours of working, his back hurt and he had to stand in line at the cafeteria. A television was hanging from the wall and it was tuned in to the 24-hour news. It was a live broadcast and much to his shock, there was Senior Accountant Seojun speaking in a press conference flanked by other members of the accounting division.

“Yesterday, we discovered a shocking example of graft and greed in our company. Although it was years ago and does not currently effect our profit margin, it is an example of how we cannot be lax in our rigorous adherence to guidelines and reporting. Thanks to our accounting division, we have avoided what could have been a deleterious relationship with EVA corporation.”

The camera cut away to the anchor who described EVA’s stock price plummeting along with its reputation.

So Seojun and the rest of the division were taking the credit for his work? Maybe on another day he would have cared. As it was, he was fine just eating his cafeteria food alone at his desk.

He didn’t receive a phone call until three in the afternoon.

“Are you Lee Jiho?”

“Yes.”

“Are you in a place where you can listen to private medical information?”

“Yes.” He glanced around and no one was with him, of course.

“We performed two MRI scans and we have discovered a sizeable brain tumor…”

Jiho’s voice caught. “What?”

“It’s a common brain tumor, called a pituitary adenoma…”

“Is she alright? Is she going to die…?” Jiho's voice rose with panic.

“Well, we have a variety of treatment options…”

The phone beeped. It was Jaehee Kang. Jiho suddenly felt a flash of anger. Of course, he wasn’t going to take her call now! He sent it to voice mail. “Yes?”

“We can start with hormone treatment to see if we can shrink the tumor and give her some relief from her symptoms. She’s been suffering from this for quite some time but the tumor has finally grown large enough to provoke this incident. T he medication has some side effects….”

The phone beeped and again, Jiho sent it to voice mail.

“Is she on any other medications?” The doctor asked.

“No, sir. She’s otherwise fine…”

“Okay, that will make things simple. The tumor is large enough so that we can remove it with surgery, but I prefer to wait until we see if the medication will work first.”

“I understand.”

“I am optimistic about her prognosis. I don’t believe we will have to move beyond surgery at this point. I will send her home with medications and recommend a follow up in three weeks.  Do you have any questions?”

“No…” He said, his voice hoarse. “Thank you.”

“Very well then.”

They ended the call. Jiho suddenly realized his hands were shaking. Jaehee had left him a message.

“Where are you on that cat business proposal? Jumin has been asking about it all day? Please have it to him by tonight.”

Jiho deleted the message and rested his forehead against the heel of his hand. Was that the proverbial straw on the back of the camel?

He lowered his hand and straightened. No, he wasn’t finished yet. He told himself to just get on with it. His mother would be okay. She was going to take meds. He would chew through this stack of audits. He would finish the proposal for the …

His brain paused at the absurdity of the request compared with everything else going on in his life. She said ‘cat business’? Jiho felt it was more of a philanthropic event than a cat business. More like advocacy.

The clock’s hands ran around its face as the afternoon faded into evening. At six thirty, he’d finished entering the last of the audits into the main system and placed the tapes in the bin delegated for professional disposal of classified information.

His neck was stiff as steel cables and a shock of pain bit into him every time he turned his head. He leaned against the printer and retrieved the cat proposal. Technically, he was supposed to check in with Seojun first before meeting with Jumin but he just wanted to go home. He needed to go home.

He typed out a text to his mom. “Are you home? Are you awake?”

He waited, but got no answer.

He took the elevator up to the executive suite, bracing himself against the wall of the elevator to find some relief for his sore back a moment. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and then forced himself to straighten before the doors opened.

“Ah! Mr. Han!” Much to his shock, Jumin and Jaehee were already at the door with one other person: A stranger with mint green eyes and hair. 

“Oh. You’ve finally arrived with the proposal?” Jumin spoke as if he expected him there. And maybe he did? Who else would visit him at this hour?

“Yes sir.” They all stepped into the elevator together and Jiho handed him the report.

Jumin looked it over, directing him with his eyes to look at the other man. “Lee Jiho… this is V.”

“V?” Turning his head to look at the other man sent a sharp pain down his spine and he flinched.

Jaehee gasped. “Are you alright?” 

“Oh yes… I just slept wrong last night.” He forced a smile.

“You’re Yoosung’s friend. So I’m not surprised that you’ve probably already heard about me.” V looked away bashfully. Jumin looked up from his paper and frowned.

“Ah… Only a little. We mostly talk about gaming.” This was diplomatic, but true. “It’s nice to finally meet you though. I know you two go way back.”

“Yes, you probably know of my fiancee Rika and her charity, the RFA. Yoosung attended the parties she used to hold.” V explained.

“Charity parties?”

“Yes.” V nodded and a terrible, familiar sadness suddenly pervaded his expression. It was fleeting, but Jiho couldn’t miss it, because he knew exactly where it must have come from.

Jumin broke the awkward silence. “The proposal for the Feline and Landlord liaison is too conservative. I will need more food and a higher quality caterer,” Jumin muttered.

“I’m sure Jiho was only thinking of the cost to the company…” Jaehee quietly added.

The door opened and they all stepped out. “Sir… wait. Can I… have that back for a moment?”

Jumin’s expression soured but he handed the proposal back to him.

Jiho pulled out a pen and flipped the front page over. There in the middle of the lobby, he put together a new proposal with the numbers he already had, but this time, reframing the event as a charity event. With the savings from the tax write off, he was able to add significantly more costs. “If possible, you can make this event as part of the charity party and then you can add a lot more to the budget.”

He handed the paper back to him.

Jaehee closed her eyes as if in pain.

V smiled, wistfully. “You mean, that would be the case if we were actually holding another party…”

Jumin’s eyebrows rose. “Is there a reason why we can’t?”

“I’ll be leaving the country again soon. I’ve already made the plans.”

“V. I know you’re used to being in charge of these parties. If you can’t, then, I don’t mind taking charge of it while you’re gone.”

Jiho looked between them and then quietly stood by. The eye contact and intimate silence told him this was something that didn’t concern him. But to his surprise, V actually addressed him.

“I’ve heard that Yoosung is a lot happier in the channel since you two became friends. I think...maybe if you were involved in the planning, the messenger might be even cheerier.”

“You think so?” Jiho didn’t feel very cheery at the moment.

“Are you inviting him?” Jumin folded his arms.

“I hope you don’t mind another employee involved.”

“It makes no difference to me.” Jumin shrugged.

Jiho looked over at Jumin and his mouth opened to refuse. Between his mother’s diagnosis, his overwhelming workload and his pain, the idea of taking on one more thing…

But Jumin looked at him expectantly. “You’ll be contacted by our … IT person. Seven. He’ll instruct you on how to download the messenger.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jaehee gave him a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry. It’s actually not that bad. I’m in the RFA as well. It’s enjoyable work.”

“Oh for sure.” Jiho straightened up and tried to look more enthusiastic then he felt.

“Very well then.” Jumin handed him back the proposal. "I'll leave this to you."

The three of them made their way out of the lobby. Once alone, Lee Jiho let his face fall and his shoulders sag, putting one hand over his face. He turned to go back to retrieve his things and go back once again to a dark and quiet home.

His mother was asleep, but this time he walked into her room and sat next to her bedside. He held her hand, counted her pale fingers.

He was doing everything he could. Then why did he feel so… guilty?

The hot tear fell on cheeks chilled from a long day in an air conditioned server room. Here, surrounded by memories of his father, he was reminded that there wasn’t any real way he could ever make it up to her. No matter how hard he worked, it was throwing money at a debt he could never pay.

He picked up the bottles of medications from he nightstand and read each one over and over to familiarize himself with them. Two in the morning, three at night.

He finally stood up and walked to his room, aching in both body and spirit. His phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Unknown number” had sent him a link by SMS.

“Click here to download RFA messenger.”

He did so, and soon a new app appeared on his phone. He clicked through the prompts as he prepared to go to bed, using his first name as a user name. As soon as he logged in, he could see that someone was online.

He opened the chat.

  
  
  



	6. Hidden Compartment

Jiho braced himself as the subway began to move, smiling at his phone. 

“Good morning, Jiho!” Yoosung’s bright greeting was the first thing to meet his eyes.

Although he had awakened stiff and sore, Yoosung’s excitement at his joining the RFA messenger app took the edge off the pain better than any pill.

After he had installed the app, he’d fallen asleep with it open. V had come online and explained why he was there: To host a new ‘RFA’ party. 

“I wish he would respond but he must not be available.” Jaehee had typed overnight. “At any rate, I’ll explain his responsibility to him now.”

According to Jaeheee, he would get emails from the invited party guests. They won’t be expecting the invitation, so he would have to convince them to RSVP. It sounded simple, if a bit disorganized.

“Morning, Yoosung. How’d you sleep?” He typed.

“I hardly slept at all! Ah! I’m so excited! I couldn’t sleep! We’re really going to have a party again! I just stayed online hoping you’d come on and say something.”

“Sorry.” Jiho chuckled. “I was really tired after yesterday.”

“I know you work for Jumin now. I see how hard Jaehee works. I hope it’s not too hard for you to host the party. When Rika was here, she made it seem so easy. No matter what people’s background or personalities were, she could work her magic and they’d immediately like her…”

Jiho typed. “Really? If that’s the case, I’m surprised you weren't asked to do this job.”

“>< Ah! That’s really nice of you to say.” Yoosung’s blushing emoticon came onto his screen. “But honestly... The way things have worked out… it’s a little too coincidental. I mean, of all people to meet that day… why you? You were just right for Jumin’s business and… now you’re with the RFA? It’s too… perfect.”

Jiho frowned a little. “What are you trying to say?” He typed.

“I’m thinking… maybe… Rika sent you to us?”

Grief stirred in Jiho’s chest and his expression turned bitter. He didn't believe in that. If his father were still alive as a spirit somewhere… why didn’t he help him and his mom more? He shook his head. It was true that when things went well, he imagined what his father might have said or how he might have reacted. But, that was just imagination. If his father had a spirit, he would have never left this Earth.

Jiho could only depend on himself. Still, he didn't want to say that to Yoosung and crush what little comfort he had.

"Well, I'd better do a good job then. You'll help me. Won't you, Yoosung?"

"Oh hey, new guy!" 

While they were talking, apparently someone else logged in. Z-E-N? Was that a name?

"Welcome! Yoosung told us a lot about you… and from what I see he's right about you two getting along really well. Too bad you're not a lady, the way you sweet talk each other. Yoosung's never had a girlfriend…"

"Neither have you!" Yoosung responded with an angry emoji.

Zen continued to type. "What about our new member?"

"I could have a girl if I wanted but right now I'm not in a position to take care of another person." Jiho said.

"You're confident." Zen replied.

"It's my reality."

"Oh really…?"

Jiho decided to change the subject. "Zen,... Did you also know Rika?"

"I can probably say I knew her the least. I joined after V invited me when I was laid up after an accident. Rika liked my musical performance. We all miss her, but having the party is kinda therapeutic."

Yoosung interrupted. "Do you though?"

Jiho stifled a surprised sound at Yoosung's sudden turn.

"Hey, don't start that again. We already talked about it ya?"

"Ya. But nothing changed."

"Something did change! We're having the party! Try to calm down in front of Jiho at least!"

"Calm down is all anyone ever says!"

Jiho, concerned, jumped in. "Hey, Yoosung, I've never said that have I?"

"No. I'm glad you're here! Maybe with the both of us things will finally change! Maybe we'll get some answers!"

Zen responded with an ellipse then a "...?"

"I hope we do get answers. But didn't I keep you up all night? Why not sleep until your class?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda sleepy. Have a good day at work."

"Sleep well, Yoosung."

Yoosung left the chatroom.

Zen continued. "That was a close one. I take it you know about Rika and V, then."

"I only know what Yoosung has told me. But. What do you think Zen?"

"Yoosung took her death really hard, and gets really emotional about it…"

"That's normal."

"It is… but taking it out on the V isn't."

"Is it the death that's the problem? Or the lingering questions surrounding it? The details surrounding her situation is none of my business… but shouldn't it be Yoosung's?"

"I just want to stay out of what's going on between him and V. There's way too much going on emotionally there. Yoosung lashes out a lot and I don't like that."

"Yoosung seems to respond better to compassion. Why not try it? If anything, V should meet up with Yoosung and talk it over. But it sounds like he hasn’t done that. No one can help this situation but him.” The subway bell rang. “I've reached my stop so I have to go."

"Don't let Yoosung sway you too much. I would be in a very different place if it weren't for V. He's not the type of person who would be malicious to anyone."

"Gotcha. Have a good one, Zen."

As he stepped off the train, his phone rang. It was Yoosung, his voice quiet and sullen. “Sorry about… what I said back there.”

“You don’t have to apologize. When it comes to answers and validation though… I think Zen has a point. You’re asking it of the wrong people. It is strange how, despite mourning the same person they loved very much, V hesitated to draw close to you, distancing himself. Even if there were no satisfying answers he could give, leaving you alone is a missed opportunity for you both. You two should be the best able to support each other. And I guess… that’s why it hurts so much.”

“Don’t make me cry before school, Jiho! My eyes are already puffy from staying awake!”

Jiho forced a smile as he made his way into the office lobby. “You started it! At least try to be more cheery in the chatroom, if you feel upset, just say ‘brb!’ and leave and send me a PM. That’ll be our code, okay?”

“Okay… I’ll try.”

“Oh… Jiho! I’m glad I ran into you.” 

“Oh, gotta go.” Jiho’s back straightened and he hurried to hang up when he saw Seojun coming up to him. The man held up his hands in reassurance. “Hey don’t be nervous. It’s true I had to be tough but it worked out. Water under the bridge right?” He gave a brilliant smile.

Jiho only slightly relaxed. 

“Who were you talking to on the phone just now? A girl? The way you were smiling… I don’t think I’ve seen that expression on your face before.” Seojun waggled his eyebrows and followed him to the elevator.

“Nothing like that. Just an old friend.”

“Hmm…” Seojun looked doubtful but then shrugged. “So did you bring any more of your mom’s cooking?”

Jiho avoided eye contact. “No. She wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t ask her to cook.” He pressed the down button to head to the archives. He didn’t really trust Seojun after what had happened to the records. He never explained why they had changed, and Jaehee never said what he had changed or why. He felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. 

Seojun was not his friend.

“Oh… that’s too bad.” Seojun’s expression reflected genuine concern but Jiho was still cautious. “Is she alright?”

“Yeah. She’s fine. But I’ll be spending more time with her now.” The door of the elevator opened. Jiho was quick to escape, pressing the close door button.

“Well, send her my regards.” Seojun waved as the doors shut.

Jiho sighed, feeling leaning against the wall in relief.

The quiet hum of the server and silo room welcomed him to his solitary workspace. He set his briefcase on the desk and turned to start up his PC. The way he twisted his body sent a sudden bolt of pain through him and he braced himself against the desk, gasping. The force of his weight jostled the desk enough to shake the briefcase off. It crashed to the floor and burst open.

“Ah!” Jiho hurried to gather the scattered unfinished reports and noticed that the inner lining of the briefcase had separated from the outside leather. “Aw man…” 

At first, he thought he’d broken it and he would have to get a new one. But then he saw the small plastic tabs that had been holding the lining attached.

On closer examination, he pulled back the lining and discovered another inner compartment of the briefcase. His heart beat hard against his chest. There was a hidden pocket in his father’s briefcase?

After setting his papers aside, he pushed the tabs to fully separate the inner lining. There wasn’t much there. A couple of thumb drives, a pen and a manila folder. On the paper folder, written in his father’s handwriting, were two words.

“MINT EYE”

He opened it up and found a handwritten note on yellow lined paper. 

‘Get promo materials from client. Set up neighborhood surv. tonight.’ 

He found photographs of what looked like pamphlets with a stylized logo of an eye. Mint Eye was on the cover of them. Under the logo were the words ‘For eternal paradise.’

He closed the folder and picked up a thumb drive. For security purposes, outside thumb drives were not allowed in the offices as they could contain malware and spyware. But Jiho’s curiosity overcame his caution and he plugged it in.

On the thumb drive were several photographs and documents as well as audio files dating back from when his father was alive. Clicking on one photo he found a dirty looking shipping manifesto. It was in shreds, but each piece of shredded paper was placed so that it was legible again despite the grease stains.

The manifest listed ‘Shironex pharmaceuticals’ as the sender and the receiver was a name he didn’t recognize: Kim Soong. Listed on the manifest were things he wasn’t sure of so he did an internet search on his phone.

His heart skipped a beat. These were the ingredients for methamphetamines!

His father was investigating illegal drugs? “No way… Dad…”

He clicked on one of the audio files. His father’s voice flowed into his ears from the computer speakers. Jiho’s hand flew to his mouth, overwhelmed by the sound that he hadn’t heard in a year.

“November 10th, following the target to the shipping facility for his pick up. Keeping a two car distance. Client is becoming more and more concerned for the target's long absence but I need more evidence. I don't think he’s noticed me yet. Will try to catch them in the act. Will need enough evidence to report to the government authorities. This isn’t just a husband cheating on his wife…”

He clicked through more photos and finally found the photo that went with the audio files. A dark haired man was carrying boxes with a smiling younger blond woman. Together, they put the boxes in the car and then, together, they drove away. The man was the ‘target’, Kim Soong. 

The woman was listed as unknown.

Jiho removed the thumb drive and put everything back in the briefcase. His dad… was in law enforcement? No… he was never a cop. He would have known if he was a cop, right? Did his mom know?

His phone rang and brought him back to reality. He had to work. He had to get through his day.

Jiho wasn’t sure how he was going to.


	7. Ghost in the Machine

Jiho actually managed to snag a seat on the subway. The rush hour was already finished by the time he got home from work. He was nervous taking the subway so late, but didn't’ want to spend again on a taxi.

He pulled out his phone to check it and opened the messenger.

A shocked red-headed emoji came on his screen.

The house was bright and warm when he got in. “I’m home!”

“Welcome home!” Jiho’s mother waved at him from the kitchen wearing a pink apron with a family of cartoon rabbits on it.

“Wow! Dumplings! You really are feeling better!” The work in making the dough, the filling and then steaming the dumplings would have been unmanageable just a few days before. The manual dexterity required to put it all together would have been impossible in her prior condition. Seeing this humble plate of dumplings lifted a great weight off Jiho's shoulders. 

“You brought me something?” His mother’s eyes lowered to the paper gift bag in his hand.

"Yes. That's why I'm so late." He opened his arms and enveloped his mother in a tight hug. “I’m sorry I missed your birthday. But, to make up for it, I bought you this wonderful spa set. I’d like you to use it tonight to unwind.”

The spa kit was quite detailed and cost about the same as the meal at the restaurant he’d planned. It included a mani-pedi set, bubble bath, incense, and a speaker that played relaxing ocean sounds. To top it off, he’d added plush towels and a full body robe meant to soak up any moisture and was soft enough to sleep in. In addition, he added chocolates for his mother to munch on while she relaxed.

After dinner, Jiho pretended to be a stately butler in his suit, putting on a serious air and deepening his voice. “Madam, I’ve drawn your bath for you.”

“You’re just too much.” His mother stepped into the bathroom, giddy with excitement. "Don't stay up for me, I'll be here for quite a while!"

“Take your time! Let me know if you need anything!” Jiho grinned as he shut the door to the bathroom. 

Once he was certain his mother was settled, he hurried to her bedroom. 

His father had his own closet, separate from his mother’s, one of the few perks in this older townhouse. When Jiho opened the double sliding doors, the familiar scent of his father washed over him, and he felt his heart squeeze in his chest.

He forced his emotions down and started to sift through his fathers jackets, digging into the pockets to see if he could find any clues of a secret life. He found receipts, a gum wrapper, small coins. As small as these little effects were, they weighed heavily on Jiho’s spirit. Each one was a relic of a life he missed so much.

His eyes fell to a large box shoved into a dark corner of the closet. When he opened it, jackpot! It was a computer! A whole PC!

He crouched down, careful with his back, and hoisted it up to carry to his room. He passed the bathroom, but fortunately, the ocean sounds from the speaker could cover his own noise. He grinned at his cleverness. This worked like a charm.

Once he had secured the PC in his room, he returned to his mother’s room and made sure to put everything back where he found it.

He closed the door to his bedroom and plugged in the PC, hooking up his own monitor to it. The machine whirred to life, buzzing and scratching, the operating system logo appearing on the screen. Then the screen turned dark and a single dialogue box prompted him to put in a password.

“Oh…” He puffed out his cheeks in thought. He couldn’t get into this PC without a password. But, he knew someone who might be able to help.

He picked up his phone and opened RFA messenger. He searched out 707’s number and dialed it.

“Meoooow….” A silky voice purred in his ears. 

“Uh…” Jiho stared at his phone a moment to make sure he had the number correct. “This is Hacker God right?”

A gasp. “How did you- I mean… it depends on who’s asking, meow…”

“Isn’t it obvious? Anyway, can you help me with a computer real quick?”

“... Tech support! I’m here for your needs!”

“Okay… how much do you charge?”

“Precisely one visit with Elly at the party!”

“I don’t have any control over that!”

“Oh… well… I guess there’s no deal…”

“Ugh… Okay, one visit with Elly. But I swear if this gets me fired…”

“OKAY! What do I need to do?”

“I need to get into a computer. I don’t know the password.”

“Did you steal it? Are you dealing in stolen goods?”

“No. I found it. It’s mine, it’s old, I forgot the password, but I want the information on it.”

“This will be a piece of cake! Just follow my simple step by step instructions! First, turn off the computer, turn it back on, and then when you see the logo, turn it off again! Keep doing that until you see a blue screen!”

“Gotcha, thanks for your help.”

“My pleasure! I’m happy to finally be able to hear your voice. Now I already feel like I know you better. Heh. Yoosung will be so jealous. You know, he was looking for you all day! I’ve never seen him so active on the messenger.”

“Looking for me?” Jiho watched the screen and then turned off the PC.

“Oh yes. Jaehee was concerned about too much workload, but Yoosung was too. He was asking you to have days off so you can play more LOLOL with him. Hm…?”

Jiho laughed softly. “He shouldn’t be doing that. Oh! I’ve got it! The blue screen!” The computer repair and restore wizard had started thanks to his power cycling.

“Good! Now, we’re going to go into Advanced options. This part can be a little dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, but it’s simple for an expert like me!” Seven told him to click here and there, and eventually, the file explorer came up. They entered into system files, renamed a few things and then a command prompt appeared.

“Now, type the following command…”

Jiho complied, spelling out the exact letters on the screen. He pressed enter. There on the command prompt was the administrator password. “Wow!”

“Yes, and now you too can steal a computer and sell it on the internet.”

“What do you mean, ‘you too’?” Jiho asked sharply.

“Oh… oh nothing. I’m not sure why you would even ask that. Ah! WAYOH WAYOH WAYOH! Alert! There’s an emergency!”

“...that’s just you.”

“I have to go! NO TIME TO CHAT! BYE BYE!”

The phone went dead. Jiho was sure that 707 had just admitted to being a computer thief. 

He restarted the PC, this time, entering the password as instructed. The computer desktop opened up. Much to his surprise, there was very few icons on the desktop. Most of them were folders, and most of those had a cloud symbol with a down arrow, indicating that he would have to access them online.

Jiho connected the computer to his home network and then double clicked on one of the folders labeled Active.

There, he saw several folders each with different names. He’d come to the conclusion that his father was a private investigator, not someone related to law enforcement. He worked with ‘clients’ who paid him to collect information on other people.

There was a folder on this PC labeled Mint Eye. He double clicked it.

It opened to a huge array of more folders and files. Each folder was dated and let him know that he’d been following this particular case for a few months. The last folder he added was only a few days before his death.

This was the last case he worked on.

“Jiho!” 

“Yeah mom!” He called out without looking away from the screen.

“Did I tell you I love you?”

“Yes mom!” Jiho made an effort to sound cheery, but the new information was starting to overwhelm him again. His eyes burned and a lump grew in his throat.

He wondered if he would have looked down on his father so much if he had known of this side job. He regretted so many of the derogatory things he said about him while he was alive.

He downloaded more files and looked them over. Most of them were photos following a Mr. Kim Soong. His father found out that this man was a physician, who lived in a wealthy neighborhood. He wasn’t exactly someone you’d expect to be a drug dealer. His father complained about the odd lack of motive for such a turn to crime. The doctor had a constant but platonic association with a beautiful young woman which was also very unusual.

“Client insists that there is some sort of amorous relationship between the two, but I have not seen any evidence of that. Whenever he is with her, it is only in connection with a drug deal. Nothing else. I’ll have to report this to the client. It will be up to her what she decides to do with it.”

That was his last entry.

Jiho sat watching the screen. Did he ever meet with Mrs. Kim? Did he ever tell the police? He shook his head. The case was still listed as open. 

Jiho wrote down the address of Mr. Kim and put a few folders in a thumb drive. He knew this had nothing to do with him. But this was his father’s work and he felt it was both his civic and familial duty to finish the work his father started.

He shifted the mouse to the start button to power the machine off, but the cursor moved in the opposite direction and clicked on Notepad.

JIho shook the mouse and tapped it, wondering what was wrong. Was the PC broken?

His heart leaped into his throat and started beating as if he were running a marathon. The cursor on the screen typed out a single sentence. 

**GO AWAY**

  
  


“Ah!” Jiho startled as the screen suddenly went black and green text cascaded down the monitor.

He jumped up, reached down and unplugged the machine.

“Jiho? Are you okay?” His mother’s voice came from the other side of his door.

Jiho couldn’t stop shaking and he couldn’t speak. Silence descended on the room. The computer that had apparently come alive on its own was still.

“Jiho?”

What was that? The mouse cursor moved on its own, typed out a message on its own. Haunted PCs were only in the movies right? He plugged the computer back in and pressed the power button. He pressed it again and again.

The computer never turned back on. An acrid smoky smell reached his nose, like something was burning.

Jiho whimpered. “No… no. No. NO!” He turned the computer side to side. A small wisp of smoke came out the back. He fell to his knees. Tears rolling from his eyes. He felt like he'd lost his father all over again. “Why… why did this happen!”

“Jiho… if you don’t open up, I’m going to bust down this door!”

Jiho ran his sleeve across his eyes and stood up. He didn't believe in ghosts. Someone did this on purpose. Like a virus or something. HIs hands balled into fists. He took a deep breath to force his heartbeat to calm and turned to open his bedroom door a crack. “I’m okay mom. I'm… just … I had a bad dream, okay?”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her voice was kind through the door.

“Not right now. Just… I’ll be okay.”

“Okay honey… Love you.”

“Love you, too.” He grumbled.

HIs phone vibrated and his heart started racing again. He hurried to the phone, fearing the worst, only to see that the caller ID was on the messenger. It was V, Mr. Han’s friend.

“Hello?”

“Hi… I hope I didn’t contact you at a bad time.”

He contacted him at the worst time ever. But there was no way Jiho could communicate that. “I was just about to go to bed but…”

“Oh.. You said you were going to log in later so I waited for you. When you didn’t log into the messenger, I got worried.”

“Sorry. I was…” Jiho ran his hands through his hair, looking in despair at the PC. “Having a problem. So… what’s up?”

“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean for Jumin to throw the party on your shoulders. You looked a little stressed when he handed you the assignment. That stuck with me. If it's too much for you, I understand.”

“No! No! It’s not too much for me. The party is no problem!” He sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. “It’s actually the least of my problems now. To be honest, I need the party. Mr. Han is committed to it, and if I fulfill my duty there, it will help cement me into the company.”

“Are you alright?” V’s concern was evident in his tone.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” Jiho tried to stop his voice from shaking.

“So…” V did not sound convinced. “I also wanted to thank you, for being so kind and looking after Yoosung. He really seems to be attached to you.”

“He is but… Can I speak frankly? Please don’t be offended by what I say.”

“I won’t be…”

“Shouldn’t you be the one he’s attached to?”

V was silent on the other end of the phone.

“I’m new. I don’t know you. But what I do know is Yoosung misses Rika terribly. You’re his only real link to her. But you’re distant. People in the RFA are embarrassed and uncomfortable around his outbursts but they don’t do anything. He’s not coping well at all. He’s attached to me because I don’t reject his feelings. I acknowledge the reality. But shouldn’t that come from you? I don’t know his cousin. You do.”

V paused for a long time. “You’re right. But… I can’t discuss Rika with him yet. There’s a lot I’m not ready to talk about.”

“That’s your choice and I respect that. But Yoosung needs you. Can you please, just figure something out?” He chewed his lip, instantly regretting his tone. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

“It’s okay. Thank you. For caring about him.” V quietly said.

Jiho didn’t want to hear thanks. He wanted to hear some sort of commitment to action. But V seemed so passive. It was like nudging someone who was asleep and wouldn’t wake up. Was this what Yoosung felt talking to him? No wonder he got so distraught, like he had to scream and yell just to provoke a reaction.

Jiho sighed and scrubbed his face. “Yoosung needs this party. If it’s canceled… I’m afraid of how he might react. The idea of the party makes him happy. So… don’t worry about me. I can handle it. I’ll try to log in more often. Thank you for calling me.”

"Thank you for your work in behalf of the RFA. I'll take what you say to heart. I might be out of touch for a bit. But feel free to leave me a message if you need anything at all, or talk to Seven."

"No problem. Good night, Mr. V."

"Ah, ha. Just V is fine. Thank you. Good night Jiho."

Jiho flopped down on the bed, staring at the PC in despair. Eventually, his eyes closed and he fell asleep. His mother cracked the door open and shut off the light without looking inside.

Jiho didn't remember when the dream began, but his mind took him to a dark alley way. Something was chasing him, a flying devil, a shadow, with a glowing eye that radiated green smoke. It's fangs flashed in the light of the moon. No matter how fast he ran, it was catching up to him.

"JIHO!"

He stopped and turned. His father was standing there, arms spread facing the snarling devil. Jiho turned back around and reached out to pull him away. But it was no use. The shadow swept his father up into darkness and he disappeared.


	8. Pressure Point

The sound of the phone ringing woke Jiho from a deep sleep. His body felt weighed down. He’d fallen asleep in his work clothes. The phone vibrated urgently on the desk, lighting up the room with its blue glow.

Jiho struggled to fight against fatigue and sat up but he was too slow. The phone went dark and silent for a few seconds and then it lit up again and danced across the desk. The fear of his phone falling to the floor and breaking helped spur Jiho out of bed to grab it before it went over the edge.

The caller ID read, Jumin Han. Mr. Han was calling him? Was he late for work?

He answered the phone, wiping his eyes. “Sir! Yes… I'm here… I’m sorry I was sleeping.”

“Are you alright?” Mr. Han’s deep robotic voice held a commanding tension.

“I... “

Mr. Han interrupted him. “Where are you? Are you at home?”

“Yes…”

“Good. Get up and check all the locks. Make sure your doors and windows are locked!”

“What… what’s going on?” Compelled by Mr. Han’s no-nonsense manner, he got up and shuffled to this bedroom door.

“The RFA messenger app came under attack. A lot of information was stolen before Seven could lock him out. I’m afraid the hacker may know your location.”

“My location? Why would he want that?”

“We have no idea. But I don’t want to take the safety of our RFA members for granted.”

Jiho stumbled down the stairs, through the kitchen and checked the front door and the windows. “Yes everything is locked.”

“Good. Don’t let anyone in until my security guards arrive.”

“Security guards?” Jiho’s mind was slowly coming awake to the realization that he might be in danger.

“Yes. I’m sending security guards to all the RFA members for their protection.”

“Am I still going into work?”

“Yes, but you’ll be driven and escorted there.”

Jiho stopped in his tracks. “Wait, this guy is that dangerous? What about my mom?”

“Your… mom? You still live with your parents?” Jumin sounded surprised.

“I live with my mom. She’s sick and has to be on meds. Is she going to be okay?”

“I didn’t consider that. I’ll update the security detail coming your way. Half of them will patrol your front door, the other half will escort you.”

“I can’t just leave her with a bunch of strange people!”

“Jiho… you must calm down. The RFA is a private matter that can’t interfere with your job at C&R.”

Jiho’s jaw dropped. Was this hacker the same one that had broken his computer last night? Was this retribution for looking into that drug deal? Was this his fault?

“You don’t understand!” Jiho shouted into the phone. “The fact that someone might come to my house, someone dangerous enough to require a security detail and escort… you’re saying this can’t interfere with work? What can interfere with work? If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself! If she’s not here, what worth is my life?!”

A soft gasp interrupted his conversation. His mother stared at him with wide horrified eyes from where she had started coming down the stairs. “Jiho…”

Jiho’s heart dropped in his chest. He swallowed. He didn’t mean to say that.

“I’ll make sure your mother is safe. Let Seven and I handle the issue on our end. Once the hacker is tracked, he won’t be able to interfere any more. The security detail is just a precaution.”

Jiho took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay. I’ll let her know that… this is a temporary thing.” He stammered, trying to regain his composure. His mother still stood frozen on the stairs in her plush robe, pale with shock.

“Good. In that case, I’ll see you in the office. Good bye.”

Mr. Han hung up and he made his way back up the stairs. “Mom. You’ll have to stay in the house today.” His heart was still beating fast like a little rodent running around his chest.

“What’s happening?” She followed him.

“There… was a bit of an incident in the neighborhood. I’m surprised you didn’t wake up. You must have slept well. C&R will be sending a security detail to make sure you’re safe…” Once they were back at her room he took her hands. “Just… promise me, you’ll stay inside.”

“Jiho are you going to be alright going to work?”

A loud knock made both of them jump. “I’ll get it.” Jiho said.

Jiho left his mother upstairs and cautiously approached the door. He peered out of the peephole and saw a man in a suit and sunglasses holding up a badge. He only opened it a crack. “Are you my security?”

“Lee Jiho?”

“Yes that’s me.”

The man gave a prim bow. He was cut like a marble statue, square jawed, with thick black hair that was swept back into a small bun. “We’ll be on your property for the day. If you need any help, please ask.”

“Take extra good care of her! I’m counting on you!” Jiho glared, his voice shaking. He closed the door again and hurried back to his room.

“I should… I should get dressed!” He hurried back to his room to make himself presentable. Why did he have to sleep in his suit like an idiot? He pulled down the ironing board from the wall.

He opened the messenger, he’d received multiple frantic texts from Yoosung but ignored them for now and dialed 707 instead. He immediately got voicemail. “Agent 707 is doing what his boss is telling him to do so don’t worry! Please send your messages to Vanderwood!”

“If this isn’t the agency calling… just know that I can’t take your call because I work 24 hours like a hacking slave. Send me an email if you find any problems.”

“The beep is there for nothing! But still listen to it!”

Jiho stammered for a second. So there was no point in leaving a message?

“Seven… Agent 707…? Are you a secret agent too? I have so many questions.” Jiho hurriedly talked while pressing his shirt. “I really need to talk to you. After I got into my PC I was looking around and then… something took over the computer. The computer is completely busted now! Do you think it might have been the hacker? Please call me back okay? Nevermind. I’ll… I’ll send you an email.”

He only had a few more minutes to get ready to go to work. He groaned. Why did he have to go?

He texted Yoosung. “Hey do you have 707’s email address? Please tell me you’re not asleep!”

He could text Seven through the messenger, couldn’t he? He found him in the contacts. “Hey, I need to talk to you ASAP. I really think this hacker might be dangerous. I’d feel a lot better if you heard me out but… I don’t know if he has my phone tapped or what…”

Was it enough? Should he pop into the messenger chatroom too?

A knock on the door. “Jiho!”

He opened to his mother’s worried stare. “I don’t want you going to work. Call that man back and tell him you’re not going!”

“Mom I can't, he wants to handle it.”

“I don’t care! I’m your mother and I’m saying no! Call him back! Here, I’ll do it.”

She reached for the phone but Jiho stepped away. Jiho’s eyes shifted from the phone to his mother and back. “I… No. Mom if I get fired it's all over!”

His mother didn’t give up, standing on her toes and stretching. “If you get fired because your safety is more important than that job then so be it!”

“Mom! Stop it!” He grabbed her wrists. “Stop! Where are we going to live? What are we going to do?”

“Have you looked outside?” HIs mother’s cheeks were flushed and she was visibly trembling. “They have this place totally surrounded!”

Jiho looked down from his second story bedroom window to see three agents in the alleyway between houses. They were drawing attention. A few of his neighbors were standing on the sidewalk, their phones out, recording the whole thing.

Jiho’s mind felt frozen in place. “I have to go. I have to.” He turned back from the window.

His mother was oddly still, like she was turning to stone. “Mom…?”

Another knock on the door. “Mr. Lee!” A gruff voice shouted.

Jiho took a step toward her. “I’ll be alright. I promise.”

His mother didn’t smile or respond. She watched him grab his briefcase from beside the desk, and his tie from where it was draped over the chair. “Super promise.”

She still didn’t look at him. When he followed her gaze, he saw that her eyes were on the PC.

“It’s busted. It doesn’t turn on.” Jiho said, watching her reaction carefully.

“Alright.” She finally showed him a ghost of a smile. “Go on.”

Jiho took that as permission and fled before she could change her mind.

His phone was ringing as he stepped out, shrugging into his jacket. People were staring, phones up, as the security closed ranks into an impenetrable phalanx shielding him from view. Another agent opened the door for him and dutifully pressed on his head as he got into a black Rolls Royce. The smell of the leather interior and the spacious luxurious surroundings would have been a dream were it not for the circumstances. He picked up the phone.

“Jiho! Are you alright? I woke up and heard about this hacker! Are you alright?”

“Yoosung, I’m fine. I’m in a car sent from C&R.”

“You’re going to work! What about your mom?”

“Agents are staying behind to watch over her. Watch over yourself.”

“Agents are coming here too! This is crazy! Seven is like… the best of the best! How can a hacker break into the RFA!”

Jiho wanted to tell Yoosung about his own strange encounter, but thought better of it. After all, there was a chance that both of the incidents weren’t related. “Jumin says Seven will handle it. I tried to call him this morning and couldn’t get through. He’s probably hard at work. So don’t worry okay?”

“How can you be so calm?”

Jiho ran his hand through his hair. “I’m not calm. I… I don’t want to be here. I would give anything to be back home. Mom didn’t want me to go to work, and I’m going anyway… I… I just feel like I’m making the same mistakes over and over again…”

“What do you mean?”

The vision of his father picking him up from the party flashed before his eyes like a dark premonition. His father told him not to go to that party and he did anyway. If only he hadn’t gone to that party. If only he had listened to his Dad, then maybe his Dad would still be alive!

“Jiho?”

“Stop the car! Stop the car! Turn around!” Jiho suddenly shouted.

The driver blinked. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I am under strict orders to deliver you to C&R.”

“No. I want to go back! I want to go back home!”

“I’m sorry, sir. I can’t…”

Jiho looked up and saw the flash of a bright red light. He unbuckled his seatbelt and tried to open the door. “Hey! Unlock it!”

“And do what?” The driver turned back to look at him. “Are you going to walk back home in that suit, in your neighborhood? You’ll be mugged before you get within a thousand feet!”

Jiho slammed his fist against the glass window in despair.

The driver turned back around and the light turned green. “Your mother will be fine. Your worry is irrational.”

“Jiho?” Yoosung’s sad voice came from the phone.

“Yeah.”

“You’ll be okay. It’ll be fine.”

“Will it?”

“Yeah. The guards just got here and… to be honest it’s overkill.” Yoosung laughed, but his voice was nervous.

Jiho sank into his chair, eyes forward. “I hope you’re right, Yoosung… I really do.”

“I want you to be safe too. Don’t do anything reckless okay? I'll send you something to cheer you up okay? Cheer up, Jiho.”

“Okay…” Jiho’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ll talk to your later.”

“I’ll call you at lunch! It’s a crazy day, but it’ll be okay.”

“Bye.” Jiho hung up and a minute later, received a text message from Yoosung.

“Jiho, I know how you feel we’ve both lost people close to us, so it’s hard to relax. But just know that we’re here to help each other okay?” Attached to the message was a photo of a brown haired Yoosung and a smiling blond-haired young woman.

Jiho sat bolt upright as he immediately recognized the woman’s face. “That’s… Rika?”

His lungs drew in air and he covered his mouth in shock, staring at the shaking phone. “Oh… Oh… Yoosung…”


	9. Flight

Jiho stared at Yoosung’s smiling icon on his phone. He was sitting at his desk alone. The security guards weren’t allowed in this sacred space full of confidential information.

Zen was right. In fact, Jiho felt surprised at his own hesitation. This was likely the secret V was hiding from Yoosung and Rika’s drug dealing was probably the tip of the iceberg. 

Yoosung had a right to know.

Jiho didn’t know much about the underworld, but the fact that she had been able to get a reputable doctor to supply her, plus the size of the orders she had been receiving, meant that hers had been no small ring.

The cars that rolled up peddling the drugs from open windows on their routes through his seedy neighborhood were just ground level sales. Because the law enforcement couldn’t penetrate the corrupt upper echelons of society, any street level dealers were replaced as quickly as they were apprehended.

From the evidence he had collected, Rika had not been street level dealer. She had dealt directly with supply and raw materials.

He dialed Yoosung’s number. Yoosung’s bright and cheery voice greeted him. “Jiho! I hope you’re feeling better.”

Jiho opened his mouth and hesitated to lie even in this small question. “I’m… coping better. Let’s just leave it at that. How about you?”

“Well… to be honest.” His voice lowered. “I’m enjoying the attention I’m getting with all these security guards. People are looking at me a lot more respectfully now. Heh.”

“Oh no… they’ve discovered you’re a secret prince.” Jiho and Yoosung shared a laugh. “Hey, are you somewhere private right now?”

“No, I’m in the cafeteria. Why?”

“I need to talk about something important. But… I don’t want other people around.”

“Oh… then, I’m afraid it will have to wait until I get home. The security guards follow me everywhere! Well.. except the bathroom and there’s always the chance someone might walk in…” He paused. “What will we talk about?”

“It’s …” Jiho weighed the option of saying what it was now and having Yoosung worry all day or… “I don’t want to tell you unless you can get somewhere private right now.”

“It’s that serious? Hold on.” Yoosung must have lowered the phone because his voice sounded more distant. “Can you guys give me some space real quick? Yeah, just… stand over there in the corner… Yeah that one. It’ll be fine. Just in that corner. I just need a little while. You can still see me. Haha. Thanks a bunch.”

A few seconds later, Yoosung turned back to the phone. “Okay I think they’re far enough away that they can’t hear us. What is it?”

Jiho took a breath and let it out. “It’s about Rika.”

“Rika?”

“I think… I found out what V is hiding from you. Rika wasn’t the person everyone thought she was. She was hiding things. Illegal things…”

“What? Hold on, slow down! How ...how do you know this?”

“I discovered that my father was a private investigator. And on this case, he was following someone who was dealing in illegal drugs. I didn’t know it was her until you showed me the photo of Rika this morning…”

“No! This can’t be possible!”

“I have pictures, Yoosung. I have pictures.”

Yoosung grew quiet. Jiho imagined his stunned disbelief. “Show me…”

“Give me a minute. I can send them to you.” He pulled the photos from his thumbdrive and emailed them to Yoosung’s phone.

“I can’t believe this… I just can’t believe this…” Yoosung continued to lament.

“I also have receipts, involces, shipping manifests… and the address of the doctor she was getting the drugs from. In fact, that doctor is still practicing so… I was going to report the crimes until you showed me that picture this morning. I didn’t want you to hear about this from the news.”

“No… no... Yoosung whimpered in a rough voice. “This has to be a mistake.”

“Yoosung.”

“Why… why would she do something like that?” 

“That was what my father was trying to find out. He was hired by the wife of the doctor. She thought he was cheating on her with Rika, so he followed him around. That’s when he found out what they were really doing.”

Jiho wanted to say more, but he stopped himself. His stomach was burning with the sickening implications of what this revelation meant for the RFA. Once charges were brought, it would be easy to figure out who was doing what once the financial records were subpoenaed. She probably had been using the RFA as a shell to hide her money laundering.

Jiho continued. “I haven’t said anything about what I know to V yet, and I recommend you don’t either. I don’t know how involved V was. But the fact that there’s a lot of secrets with him tells me he at least knew something and never reported it. And drugs… and the people who deal with them… are always dangerous.” He whispered

“Yoosung, keep this between us for now. After I found all this out, my computer was hacked… and then the RFA was hacked….”

“Seven says that the hacker is after him… that it’s probably an old enemy of his…” Yoosung's voice had lost all its brightness.

“Why?” Jiho asked, quietly. Even though he knew this was the right thing to do, hearing Yoosung speak in such a dull lifeless tone broke his heart.

“Don’t you read the chat logs? They were saying this morning that the hacker uses his methods… like it's someone who’s studied him for a long time.” Yoosung sniffled loudly over the phone.

“I didn’t know this.”

“Maybe the hacker was using Rika! Maybe she was threatened and forced into it! Wait...”

Jiho’s mouth opened to deny that possibility. But then he shut it. “What is it?”

“The time stamp… these photos… they were taken in November. Rika… Rika died… in February. How could she still be alive in November?”

“Huh? Um..” Jiho turned back to the computer. "I... yes, all the files are dated from ...the date of the investigation. It started in late October."

“Rika’s .... She’s alive?” 

“I….”

“V… lied to…”

Jiho felt the blood rush from his face. “Yoosung wait. Don’t jump to any conclusions.”

“There’s just no way. No way she would do this! There has to be more to it!”

Jiho sank lower into his chair at Yoosung’s continued denial. Was Rika alive? He didn’t know when the date of death was. He had no way to confirm or deny what Yoosung was saying but it sounded crazy. Everyone knew that Rika was dead.

Right?

“There has to be an explanation! We have to find out the truth, Jiho! Maybe the real drug dealer captured Rika. Maybe V was the drug dealer and he’s holding her hostage! Rika!”

“Yoosung! Lower your voice.”

There were sudden strange sounds coming over the phone. The sounds of traffic. “Yoosung? What’s happening?”

“I ran!”

“What?” Jiho jumped up from his chair. "You what?"

“I ran!” Yoosung puffed. “The guards were far enough away! I could get away!”

“What are you doing?! Yoosung! Go back!" Jiho gripped the phone to his ear. "Go back! It's dangerous!"

“Is there somewhere we can meet? Rika could be in danger!”

Jiho gripped a fistful of his hair, trying to think. “I … I … uh… The internet cafe!”

“It’ll take me some time to get there on the bus. Can you take the subway and wait for me?”

“Yeah. I’ll, I’ll be there!” Jiho stared at his unfinished work. Leaving it behind was a huge risk. But what if Yoosung ran into trouble? He had the pictures. If he pursued this on his own and the drug ring found out… he could be killed!

He already made the mistake of leaving his mother behind. He had no courage to do the same to Yoosung.

He grabbed his briefcase and strolled out of the archives. Two security guards who were keeping vigil outside the doors began to follow him. They would soon find out about Yoosung’s flight and might not let him get away. Time was ticking. He decided to drop his cellphone, pretending to let it slip out of his pocket. As he stood next to the elevator, he heard the receptionist call. “Mr. Lee! You dropped this!”

“Oh! Thanks.” He turned and went back and grabbed the phone just as the elevator doors were opening. The security guards stood and held the door for him.

Jiho smiled. 

Then he bolted, running for the stairs.

Startled, the guards were dumbfounded at first and then they chased after him. Jiho could run away, including up the stairs, but their thundering footsteps got louder and louder. He burst out of the stairwell to the lobby and darted behind the fish tank pillar, sending the fish fleeing for the corals.

The guards followed him but lost sight of him. Their hands pressed to their ears as they reported their charge’s erratic behavior. They stood at the doors and looked around for him. Jiho slipped to the other side of the pillar. His exit was cut off.

“Psst!”

The receptionist who flirted with him every day without fail winked at him and pointed behind her desk.

Quickly, Jiho moved behind the desk and crouched. The receptionist crossed her legs and tapped his shoulder with the toe of her high heel shoe. “Hey!” She shouted. “He went that way! Through the side entrance!”

The two guards hurried off in the wrong direction. Jiho looked up at the woman and smiled. “Thank you!”

“You owe me!” She held up her finger. “One date!”

“Eh heh! Right!” Jiho smiled. He peered out from behind the desk, checking to make sure they were really gone. Then he walked out of the lobby as if nothing had happened. He texted Yoosung. “Hey, turn off your phone, so you can’t be tracked.”

He then did the same for himself. 

He hurried out of the C&R plaza and waved down a taxi, ordering him to take him to the Internet Cafe where he and Yoosung had first met.

  
  



	10. Mrs. Kim

It took Yoosung another hour to reach the Internet Cafe. By then, dark clouds had rolled in and a heavy rain had begun to come down in white wind-blown sheets. Jiho stood under the entry awning, still in his suit. Yoosung, without a coat and hat, was drenched in a matter of seconds the moment he stepped off the bus but his violet eyes lit up with joy at seeing him. “You made it!”

Jiho lowered his arms from being crossed over his chest. He tried to control his breathing. By now, everyone had to know that he had skipped out on work. “Yeah, I had to. I couldn’t just let you run off. If you don’t get kidnapped or killed by drug peddlers, I might get to keep my job!”

Yoosung’s mouth turned down and he took a step back, his shirt darkening further in the rain and his hair sticking to his forehead. “Your job? This is Rika we’re talking about!”

“I know! But this is beyond your ability to handle, Yoosung! You have to let the authorities take it! They have the training, they have the resources! Please…” Jiho pleaded. “Let’s just go back.”

Yoosung leaned away from him. “No! Jiho… I thought you would understand!” Yoosung turned and started running again, but the bus had already started to roll away and Jiho was faster. He caught up to him, grabbed him by the arm and shoved him against the brick wall.

“I do understand!” Jiho kept his hand pressed against his chest, gripping his shirt. “This was my dad’s last case. He couldn’t resolve it because of me! I want to resolve it!”

Yoosung shouted over the sound of traffic on the flooded streets. “What if Rika goes to jail for something she didn’t do? The courts are unfair! No one cares about her! I’m the only one who does!” 

“We gather as much information as we can! We don’t go off risking our lives! I can’t let you get hurt! I’ll never forgive myself!”

Jiho relaxed as Yoosung stopped struggling. The two stood, sopping wet on the street, suddenly realizing that they were in public. They quickly parted, Jiho returning to where he had left the briefcase under the awning.

“There’s one more person we can talk to. I have the address to the wife of the Doctor. We can go there, get her testimony. If Rika’s really being held hostage and the doctor is behind it all, well, what she says might help.”

Yoosung followed him, trembling, an odd blush coloring his cheeks. 

“Hopefully we can still catch a cab, wet like this.” Jiho sighed and picked up the briefcase.

It took a few tries, but eventually they found a cab that put down a few towels for them and let them sit. Jiho watched Yoosung but the young man was quietly running his hands through his hair and squeezing the water out of it. Jiho chewed his lip. “Sorry if I… hurt you back there.”

“No… it’s okay. I…” Yoosung swallowed hard and turned away from him.

They were silent the rest of the trip.

The cityscape turned into a more suburban landscape, with houses and lawns replacing high rise apartments. After turning this way and that way through the maze of cul-de-sacs, they came to a large three story house. The rain was letting up and blue sky began to peek through the clouds.

Jiho paid the fare and got out of the cab with his briefcase. “It’s still before closing time of most clinics. The Doctor should be out. We’ll keep things short and to the point. Okay?”

“Alright.” Yoosung wiped his eyes and hiccuped.

Jiho reached out to him and patted his shoulder.

The massive double wooden door rose over them like a castle gate, complete with a lion-mouth knocker. Jiho pressed the doorbell and it rang like the bell of a church.

They glanced at each other. They could see inside the sidelites: a woman hurrying to the door and looking surprised and concerned at them. Then she undid the lock and opened. “Hello?”

“Hi. I’m Lee Jiho and this is Kim Yoosung… are you… the wife of Dr. Kim Soong?”

The woman was short, with curly pure white hair and kind black eyes. She looked old enough to be his grandmother, but she gave him a vibrant smile. “I am!”

“You don’t know me, but you knew my dad. He was Lee Dong-Sun. You hired him to be a private investigator.”

Her smile faded considerably for a moment and she looked away. “Oh… right.” She perked up again. “Here, come in before you catch a cold.”

Yoosung laughed nervously as he entered the cavernous foyer, marvelling at the black and white tile floor, chandelier and elegant modern statue art.

“I’m… so sorry about what happened to your father.” She led them to a seating area near a roaring fireplace. “Please sit down.”

“Oh, we can’t! We’re soaking wet!” 

“Oh. I don't care, that’s why I have covers on the couch. The dogs sit there and they’re wet all the time. Let me get you some tea.”

The woman hurried away. Meanwhile, Jiho picked up his phone and turned it back on, trying to ignore the unread messages and calls. He needed his phone to show her the evidence from his father. His heart thudded painfully in his chest and his neck began to ache.

By the time the woman returned, he felt he was ready. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have a heart attack with shock about what he was about to show her.

She set down the tea set in the middle of the table pouring them each a cup. “I remember him very well. He was such a kind considerate man. He loved his family very much. He liked to talk about you. He was very fond of you.” She sat across from them on a loveseat. “Please… take some tea to warm yourself up.”

“Thank you!” Yoosung reached over and took a cup and quietly sipped. He sighed and smiled as the warm liquid made its way down his throat.

“Yes. Did he ever tell you about the resolution of the case?” Jiho asked, reaching for a cup himself. Coming out of the rain into this air-conditioned space made him more chilled than standing outside.

“No. After I learned he died I… well…” She shrugged. “There was no way for me to find out what he discovered without my husband finding out.” She trailed off. “Well… I suppose it’s just what of those things that happen when a woman gets old and a man doesn’t love her any more.” 

Her lips turned down and trembled.

“It wasn’t that way at all!” Yoosung blurted.

Jiho gave him a sharp look but before he could scold him, the woman said, “It wasn’t?” in a quiet hopeful voice.

Yoosung nodded to her.

“What you’re about to see may shock you. Your husband wasn’t cheating on you. He was involved in some illegal business.”

Jiho turned the phone to her and the woman grabbed her glasses from the armrest and began to gingerly look through the pictures, squinting.

“He was selling drugs to the woman in the picture. Do you know anything about her?”

The woman’s expression grew blank as she continued to scroll through the photos. She took a deep slow breath and set the phone back down.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Kim. I really am.” Yoosung said quietly. “I understand how you feel.”

“I wanted to show you first,” Jiho said, nodding to Yoosung. “Before we reported it to the police.”

The woman folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you for your consideration. You really do resemble your father in both appearance and spirit. In fact, you startled me when I saw you. It was like he was back from the dead.” Her black eyes twinkled with humor. “I never expected this to finally come back to my doorstep.”

Jiho set the cup down, “One of the questions my father always had was why? Why would he do that?”

Mrs. Kim chuckled. “Well, I imagine it was primarily for the money. There’s a lot of money in a business like that.”

“But he’s a doctor. I mean, you guys are already rich.” Jiho tilted his head in confusion.

“Yes but money has that kind of allure. There’s always the want for more. But after that, he got better.” She kept looking at Jiho. Her smile never left her face, but her eyes narrowed.

Jiho felt his pulse start to race. “Got better?”

“That woman has a certain appealing philosophy. A truth about the suffering in the world. As a doctor, he saw a lot of people suffering. He became a doctor so he could end it. But he could never figure out a path to end suffering once and for all through his medical practice. That is, until he met the Savior.” She said.

“The Savior?” Jiho glanced over at Yoosung.

Yoosung had gone pale and suddenly leaned over the armrest, dropping the cup to the floor. 

Jiho reached over to shake him awake and struggled to keep him upright. “Yoosung!”

Jiho felt light headed and faint. His ears rang. He was still conscious, but he couldn’t do anything as the woman stood up and approached him. She took the briefcase from his hands. He watched her walk away pick up the phone hanging on the wall and dial a number. 

After a few seconds of silence she spoke, “Yes. I have two young men here who unfortunately have stumbled upon some classified information. Yes, they’re here. I’ve put them to sleep for now. Kim Yoosung and Lee Jiho. Oh? Oh really? I see. Well, I’ll keep them nice and comfortable until you arrive. Alright.” She chuckled. “See you soon.”

Drugged. The tea was drugged. The thought came to JIho but there was no emotional attachment to the words. It was like he was floating outside of his body, a star in this drama and yet also, the audience of it.

He could see Yoosung’s eyes were closed and he was breathing in strange gasps. Jiho tried to say his name, but it only came out as a dull moan.

The woman shuffled over and arranged them more comfortably on the sofa. She gave Jiho a little pat on the cheek. “Don’t worry. You’ll be in Paradise very soon.”


	11. The Cleansing

“Jiho…”

The voice made his heart leap and Jiho lifted his head and turned.

His father sat next to him in the driver’s seat of his truck. HIs face was slightly blurred but his eyes were still that bright crystal blue. It was dark. The car was off but they were sitting in the middle of the road as if time had stood still before the horrid moment that would take him away forever.

Jiho’s throat closed and tightened painfully.

“It’s okay, son.”

“I’m sorry.” Jiho whimpered.

Lee Dong-sun hung his head and let out a breath.

Jiho gasped in desperation. “No, listen! I’m sorry. I’m sorry I went to the party, I’m sorry!”

His father turned and looked at him, his brow knitted. “Jiho, who’s in the driver’s seat, you or me?”

“But…”

“But?” His father shook his head. “Why are you holding yourself responsible for my inattention?”

“But I…”

“Listen Jiho… that’s enough.” His father reached over the center console and cradled his son’s cheek in his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Jiho’s tears overwhelmed his vision and sobs overwhelmed his breathing. He held his father’s hand close to his face. “I’m trying… but…”

“I know. And I want you to keep trying. I want you to let go of this guilt you’ve been carrying around with you. Because it’s enough. You’ve got other people to worry about. Your mom, Yoosung…” His father looked over Jiho’s shoulder and out the window.

“Huh?” Jiho followed his gaze and was met with a vision of Yoosung outside the car, standing in what looked like pure white pajamas. His blond hair was out of its clip and feathering in front of his face in the wind, hiding his eyes.

The car abruptly vanished and Jiho felt weightless, like a heavy boulder lifted off his chest. Waves of euphoria crashed against his grief and anxiety, washing them all away. It was like feeling the sun after being in a cold darkness for hours, blinding, painful, and yet… welcome.

He opened his eyes. It was dark and he could hear the rumble of tires on a road. He could smell something sweet and as his eyes adjusted, the outline of Yoosung’s hair came into view. He tried to say his name again but nothing came from his throat. His body still wouldn’t obey his orders. He had to be content with the slight warmth that crossed the distance between them and the rise and fall of his breath. A calmness overtook him again and he smiled.

When he awoke again, the scent of Yoosung was gone and replaced by a musty, damp odor. He was lying on his back on a thin mattress, looking at a dirty ceiling. This time, his arm moved when he asked his hand to wipe something wet off his face.

“Ah… so the sedative has finally worn off.”

The voice sounded vaguely familiar and yet out of context. He turned his head and saw a figure dressed in a dark colored cloak, sitting in a chair, arranging a few bottles on a small table. When the man turned to look at him, Jiho startled. “Seojun?”

“Shocked to see me here? Believe me, the feeling is mutual. I couldn’t believe it when they said you were coming and that I would be in charge of your cleansing. Why… you could almost call it a blessing. The Chairman’s son’s pet employee falling right into my arms? That is something I never dared to dream up… and yet…” He spread his arms. “Here we are.”

Jiho sat up and a sharp pain went through his head. “Ow.” He closed his eyes. “Where am I?”

“Magenta. You’ll become more familiar with Mint Eye as time goes by, but first things first. We need to prepare your mind.” He stood up. “You tolerate the drugs very well. The other disciples said you only cried a little before you settled into the dream.” He walked over to the other side of the table and opened a shelf. Then he signaled to others.

The creak of the metal bars alerted him to the fact that he was in a cell. Two more people walked in, overshadowing him. 

“No!” Jiho staggered to his feet but was grabbed immediately and forced to kneel.

Seojun glared at him, his dark eyes glittering with evil intent. “So this… is the man that Mr. Han favored so much.” He spoke slowly approaching him. “I looked into your background. No wealth. No property. Your father was a foreigner… your mother was an orphan. You are as nothing as a human can be…”

He tilted his head back and forth, forcing Jiho to look him in the eyes. He smiled with an incredulous delight. “My childhood allowance was more than your entire net worth.”  
Jiho pulled against the people holding him down but they held him even tighter, yanking his shoulders back. “Help! Someone help!”

Seojun laughed, “Just who are you calling to? Mr. Han? You think Mr. Han is going to come out here and save you? He’ll toss you out and forget about you. Just like he does everyone.” Seojun leaned on his knees. “You’ll learn to like it here. Because here, we learn what truly makes us happy.”

He turned back to the table and started opening the vials of an unknown liquid. “I get the feeling I’ll break you down very quickly. You’re not like me, hardened by time, and the lies the world fed me about how money would make me happy. It wasn’t money I was after. Not at all. It was power. You don’t need money to have power. The Savior gave me this position… and I have become the one who is the best at my job here.”

He gave him an amused glance. “But seeing you here… well, I’ve never been so happy. After you humiliated me in front of Mr. Han, I kept thinking of how I would get back at you...” He poured each of the vials into a larger clear bottle until it turned a bright blue. “So… let’s see what you’re really after.”

“W...wait. Wait!” Jiho struggled in a panic. “Let Yoosung go! Do whatever you want to me. Just let him go!”

“Yoosung…? The other one? He’s with the Savior. You’ll be seeing him again once this is over.” His eyes flicked to the other two. “Hold him still will you? I don’t want to waste any elixir thanks to his thrashing.”

Their grips tightened further to the point where he could feel their hands cutting off circulation to his arm. “No! I don’t want it! I don’t want to take that!” 

Seojun took Jiho’s jaw in his hand and pressed his head against the concrete wall behind him. “You don’t now. But soon you’ll welcome it…” His voice lowered to a snarl. “You’ll beg for it.”

Jiho squeezed his eyes shut and tried to turn away. Driven by panic, he twisted, struggling and fighting to stand. Pain rocketed up through his spine and he gasped. Immediately he felt the bitter concoction pour into his mouth. He spit but it kept coming. He tried to breathe and began to choke.

“Stop fighting! Or you’ll see the imaginative ways we discipline those who misbehave.”

Jiho felt like he would drown before Seojun finally released him. He coughed, the aspirated liquid burned in his chest. “Please… let Yoosung go. I’ll do whatever you want!”

“You will.” Seojun chuckled.

“I’ll… I’ll go back to C&R I’ll clear your name. I’ll… I’ll let you do what you want as the senior accountant…”

Seojun’s face contorted with rage. “Am I a dog that can be bought for MONEY?” His nails dug into the soft flesh of Jiho’s cheeks as he screamed into his face. “Hearing you say those words is far more valuable to me!”

He went silent, bristling with anger. He spoke through a clenched jaw. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll alter the records to make it look like you’re stealing from the company. I’ll make sure you’ll never be able to work ever again! Your mother? Heh. She’ll be put out on the streets unless she comes here.”

He pouted. “And Yoosung… well…” 

A loud commanding voice interrupted him. “Aren’t you going a little too far with that?” 

Jiho felt immense relief as Seojun let go of his face. He relaxed, limp against his captors.

“Ah… Who sent you down here? We’re in the middle of the cleansing!”

“The Savior.” In the shadow of the cell bars, a pair of light green eyes peered from underneath bright white bangs. “Her goal is to bring all of the RFA to Magenta. So he shouldn’t have his ties with C&R cut off.”

“The Savior… Rika… she has… Yoosung.” Jiho’s voice came out as a feeble whimper.

The other man turned to him and Jiho could see the fierce looking eye-shaped tattoo on his upper shoulder. “The fact that you can say that name is why you’re here right now. Do your best to forget it or the treatments will continue.”

“Alright.” Jiho’s head dropped to his chest.

The other man’s eyebrows rose slightly and he leaned against the bars, sneering at Seojun. “You really are good at your job.”

Seojun huffed. “I suppose. I was hoping this would last a little longer. But… ah well… he’ll be back if he misbehaves.”

The men let him go and Jiho barely managed to catch himself before he hit the floor. Seojun gathered his supplies in a black leather bag. “Let the elixir settle in his system for about an hour. Then we’ll check him again.”

Seojun gave Jiho one last distrustful glare before walking out of the cell, shutting it and locking it.

Even with the small amount that was in his system, Jiho had to crawl to the bed to gather his feet under himself. He sat on the bed and leaned on his knees, trying to stop the room from spinning by closing his eyes. 

The other man remained there, watching him, leaning against the bars. “I’ll relay your request to the Savior.”

Jiho lifted his head to look at him, his eyes focusing and unfocusing.

He continued a sly smile spreading across his face. “You should have heard what Yoosung said about V. V betrayed his trust, the same way he betrayed mine.” The man’s eyes narrowed. “Yoosung only cares for the Savior’s welfare. It may well be that unleashing him on the RFA will work in our favor. Tell me. Does Seven Zero Seven still work for the RFA?”

“Yes…” Jiho blinked at him. “Are you… the hacker?”

The man’s eyes widened. 

“Yoosung… said that … you were an enemy of Seven’s…”

“Too smart for your own good…” The man muttered, straightening.

“You hacked… my computer?”

“That computer was hacked a long time ago. I placed a malware on it to cause it to self-destruct. I never thought I’d see it access those records again.”

“It was my ...dad’s…”

The soft click of heels echoed down the hall. The man looked behind him and nodded, moving aside to make room for a woman in a dark dress, her face covered with what looked like a masquerade. Behind her, Yoosung came into view.

“Jiho!” Yoosung gripped the bars. “Let him out of here! What did you do to him!”

“We’re helping him, Yoosung.” The blond-haired woman looked over at Yoosung and smiled. “He’s someone who has suffered a lot, as you’ve told me. But soon, he’ll be the happiest he’s ever been.”

Yoosung shook his head. “No… Rika. This… this isn’t what I thought you meant!”

The woman sighed. “I know you don’t understand and it seems harsh to you. But what is more harsh? Saving him from his cycle of guilt? Or watching him drown in it and not doing anything about it?” Rika looked at him directly. “Isn’t that what you’ve been doing?”

Yoosung dropped his eyes.

Rika continued. “V watched you cry in misery, while feeding you lies for so long, never giving you an ounce of comfort while hiding the truth from you. If you allowed Jiho to continue his miserable path… aren’t you the same as him?”

“No…” Jiho shook his head. “No… Yoosung! You were my only comfort! I always felt better around you!”

Rika’s eyes suddenly grew cold and glittered with a mad light. “Don’t contradict me! Yoosung only burdened you further with his own sorrow. He never brought you any comfort! How else did you end up here!”

Yoosung’s jaw trembled.

Jiho struggled to stand and staggered to the bars. “No. That’s not true Yoosung.” Jiho reached out to him.

Rika’s eyes narrowed and she pushed Yoosung away. “You’re clearly not finished. I’ll have Seojun return and order him to increase the dosage.”

“Yoosung… we have to get out of here. Don’t listen to her!”

The white haired man pushed him back through the bars with such force that he lost his balance and fell. “Please! Let him go!”

The man didn’t answer. He just walked away, leaving Jiho alone. As soon as he left, Jiho felt a sense of impending doom. He couldn’t think straight through the haze of inner voices. He was getting light headed again. Shadows drifted in and out of his vision. Everything that Seojun threatened him with was coming true in his imagination. His mother, cold and alone with no house, no food, no medicine...dying! Yoosung, submitted to torture. He would never ever find a job no matter how hard he tried. It was all his fault! All of it!

Jiho became a prisoner again, this time of his own mind. All the feelings of hopelessness and guilt roared to the surface and took him under. It started to feel like one of those bad dreams that made no sense but was dead silent. Just a meaningless background that ate away at his curiosity and paranoia. He felt a build up of fear for no reason at all.

That’s why, when he saw the cloaked figure staring at him from behind the bars, he fled away in a wild panic, stumbling into the brick wall and cowering against it.

“Jiho? Jiho? Is that you?”

“Dad?”

“No… shh… it’s me. It’s V.”

“V?”

He raised his eyes again, violently trembling. The cloaked figure looked more like the grim reaper than the kind man he’d met in the elevator at C&R. “The drugs are still in your system. But you’ll be okay. We’re working to get you out of here.”

“Yoosung… is with…” His voice suddenly caught. He didn’t want to let V know that he knew Rika was alive. Not yet.

“I’m worried about Yoosung too…” V’s voice sounded like it echo.

“Mom?” Jiho blinked against his double vision.

“Your mother…?” V paused, trying to follow his fractured logic. “...she’s still under guard. Don’t worry.”

“I want to go home.” Jiho let out a plaintive whine, like a child.

“We’ll get you home. Just hang in there. Cooperate as much as you can.” V turned to look down the hall. “I have to go. They’ll be back to check on you soon. Try to keep your sanity, Jiho.”

V vanished so quickly that Jiho started to wonder if he had hallucinated it all. He was still crouched in a fetal position when footsteps returned to his cell and the door opened. This time, there were four of them, plus Seojun. 

Jiho didn’t bother fighting this time as they dragged him to his feet. Seojun was red in the face, livid. “How dare you! You… come here and humiliate me in front of the Savior!”

Seojun reared back and sunk his fist deep into Jiho’s stomach. Only the men holding him up kept him from collapsing completely. Jiho gasped in disbelief that Seojun had actually hit him. 

Seojun seized him by his hair and brought him face to face with him. “Now you’ll see what we do to those who resist!”

Was this really happening? Jiho pleaded with whatever powers that existed to please, just let him pass out.

Just let him die.


	12. Treasure

The moment the torment began, Jiho felt like his spirit left his body. He just stopped fighting in the vain hope that maybe if he just didn’t move or say anything, it would all just stop. 

But Seojun was relentless. The man insisted that he was a lying snake, so even if he agreed with whatever mad rant the man screamed at him, it wasn’t fervent enough, quick enough, or loud enough and he was dosed with more of that bitter toxin until he could hardly speak a coherent sentence. He could feel his own pulse in his ears, couldn’t set up straight, and his eyesight was blurry and disoriented.

Jiho resigned himself to his own death. He inwardly apologized to his mother who had begged him not to go to work. He was a bad son for leaving her without a husband and leaving her alone. His only comfort was that he’d soon get to see his father for real -- wherever he was -- and apologize to him in person.

Then he felt something put around his neck.

His body reacted before his drug-addled mind could catch up. He reared back, grabbing and pulling at what felt like a collar. A sensation, like a million tiny serpents biting at his throat brought his mind back to clarity. It happened again and again until he realized that Seojun was saying something to him. He heard a distant screaming. In the next moment, he realized the screaming was his own.

Eager for the torment to stop, he did as he asked. He bowed to Seojun, like he was a god. Only after that, did Seojun feel content to leave him alone.

Jiho was too exhausted and drugged to stay conscious. He didn’t remember sleeping. Did he just black out? Or did he forget everything else that happened?

Was it morning? Or the middle of the next day? He had no clue. He was ordered to put on a dark cloak and ordered to step out of the cell.

“The minute you open your filthy mouth…” Seojun hissed at him. “I’ll make you pay for it.” 

From within his cloak, Seojun produced a small black plastic controller.

Jiho nodded, his bright blue eyes dull with fatigue and numbness. He was so thirsty and his throat ached. He doubted he could talk anyway. They crowded him, boxed him in, while they took him up out of the dungeon and into the main building. It was the first time he’d seen the interior of this place. It was well lit by chandeliers, and quite luxurious. Plush carpets lined the floor. The walls were covered with panels and the rooms were decorated with European looking furnishings.

He walked through these gilded halls until he came to an open room and that same woman, now dressed in royal blue and sitting on a large chair like a queen, was waiting for him. Next to her, Yoosung, dressed in a similar dark cloak called his name. “Jiho!”

Seojun glanced at him, his hand still within the folds of his cloak, hiding the device. Jiho looked away from Yoosung and did not answer.

“Is he ready, Seojun?” Rika asked, daintily crossing her legs.

“Jiho…?” Yoosung called to him again, but he kept his eyes to the floor.

“Yes, much better prepared than before, my Savior. As you can see…”

“Very well.” Rika smiled. “I’ll call the others and we’ll begin the ceremony.”

Yoosung chewed his lip and looked at Rika in a growing panic. “Ceremony?”

“We’re going to enter both of you into Mint Eye, our eternal party! Where everyone can truly be themselves!”

“But Rika… Look what you’ve done? What did you do?”

Yoosung’s broken and trembling voice made Jiho raise his eyes to look at him. Yoosung was staring at his beloved cousin, someone he cared for and worried for. Was it finally dawned on him that she wasn’t the victim in all this? Was he seeing her for the monster she’d truly become?

“Rika… you have to stop! This… this is illegal!”

“The rules of the world outside don’t apply here. Because they’re created by people who don’t understand us.” Rika and Seojun both smiled at each other and nodded. 

“Everyone here is happy. Can’t you see that?” She turned to Yoosung.

“No… no Rika.” Yoosung shook his head.

Rika’s smile faded somewhat and she sighed, massaging her temple with her fingertips.

“If I may Savior,” Seojun spoke up “I can assist him in his understanding.”

For the first time since he opened his eyes again, Jiho felt something sharp awaken inside him. He lifted his head and glared at Seojun. Seojun sneered at him as if to dare him to try something.

“I am still hoping that won’t be necessary.” Rika waved him away.

The doors opened behind them and a crowd of about two dozen other people filed in, all wearing the same dark clothing save the one he’d met before with the platinum hair and tattoo.

Rika schooled her face into a beaming smile and opened her arms. “Welcome! Welcome! Today is an exciting day as we embrace two more lost souls on the path to true happiness! Lee Jiho and Kim Yoosung are here to join us! Please, give them a warm welcome!”

The crowd gave them an enthusiastic applause. “For Mint Eye’s everlasting paradise!” They cheered.

Jiho and Yoosung’s eyes met. They were surrounded, alone, with no way to call for help.

“We’ll start with you, Jiho. Repeat after me!”

“Stop! Stop this!”

All eyes turned to one of the disciples who threw off the hood of his dark cloak revealing a head of bright red hair. “Saeran! What are you doing in a place like this? Rika! What did you do to Saeran!”

Rika’s eyes dulled. Her smile was empty and devoid of all light. “My… isn’t this unexpected? It looks like we will have a few more new disciples.”

Jiho turned to look behind him and realized that also standing among them was V. V’s eyes weren’t looking in the right direction, they searched around him aimlessly as though he were in a dark room.

He was blind?

“Rika… this is enough. Jiho is an innocent person. It was a mistake to involve him!” He said.

“Lee Jiho involved himself. Besides, he’s taken our side. Isn’t that right, Jiho?”

She turned to him. Jiho swallowed. The collar was hidden under his cloak. He knew what would happen if he didn’t comply, but he couldn’t say the words.

Rika’s smile faltered. “JIho… Isn’t that right?”

Jiho suddenly threw his entire weight into Seojun, in an effort to knock him over. The man stumbled back, his eyes wide with fury. “My lady! He is irredeemable!” With the control still in his hands and now visible he pressed the button and held it.

Jiho jerked back and tumbled to the ground, writhing in agony.

Realizing what was happening, Yoosung raced from Rika’s side for Seojun and grabbed his arm, the one that held the device. “Stop! You’re hurting him!”

Jiho’s mind forced its way through the pain. Yoosung was pulling at Seojun, trying to reach the controls, meanwhile, the other disciples pounced on him to pull him away.

Then all the lights in the room went out.

Rika gasped. “What is going on?” Her phone suddenly rang and she stared at it in disbelief. She picked up. “Who is this? How did you get this number?”

Rika’s eyes suddenly widened and she turned to Jiho in shock. “Jiho’s mother?”

Jiho stared back at her. “Mom…?”

“Quick!” It was Seven’s voice. “Yoosung! Get V and Jiho out of here!”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me! Run!”

Jiho felt Yoosung pull him off the floor, his fingers working around the collar on his neck until he found the clasp and snapped it off. Jiho felt his shoulder under his arm. “Come on, Jiho…”

Rika jumped up from her throne. “Stop! Stop them!” 

“Take a step towards them and I’ll blow your brains out.” A brown haired person in dark, loose fitting clothing suddenly appeared in the doorway, scanning the room with a pistol. “We’ll be taking our leave.” This newcomer’s eyes went to the redhead who was making his way to the white haired person he called Saeran.

“Stay back! Don’t come any closer!” the white hair staggered away from him.

“Seven!”

“I’ll be okay Vanderwood.” Said Seven. “Get the rest of them to safety!”

“You’d better come back!” The one called Vanderwood kept his pistol trained on the furious believers as they made their way out of the room. Once he felt they weren’t being followed, he turned and ran to them.

“Quick, this way!” Vanderwood looked closely at Jiho who met his look with a blank stare. “Poor bastard. They really messed him up. We have med supplies where we’re going. Don’t worry. Heh. Your mom is something else...”

“I don’t know what her story is, but it turned out that she was a veteran hacker herself. I’ll explain more later, but let’s just say both of us learned a thing or two from her. She’s broken into the security system here!”

They emerged into the brilliant light of day where a bright red sports car waited for them. “Let’s go, go go!” Vanderwood dove into the front seat and then cursed and got back out. “Oh no you don’t!”

He darted over to V who had turned back to the building. “I have to go back. Rika…”

“That woman is a nutcase! I don’t like leaving Seven there, but he’s more likely to survive than a blind man!”

Jiho watched the drama play out while Yoosung helped him buckle his seatbelt in the backseat. It felt like he was dreaming. This was a nightmare and he was just going to wake up. Any time now. He looked at Yoosung who was still there, buckling himself in. He seemed fine, if a bit grim and silent.

“Yoosung… am I hurt?”

“It’s not bad… don’t worry…” Twin tear tracks were making his way down Yoosung’s face.

“Then… why are you crying?” 

Yoosung didn’t answer the question.

A strange thump made them both turn, just as V was slumping into Vanderwood’s arms. “Come on you stubborn love sick bastard…” He grumbled as he dragged the unconscious V away. He placed him in the passenger seat and shut the door, slid across the hood of the car and got into the driver’s seat. “Hang on you two!”

Jiho and Yoosung gaped wordlessly and then were slammed against the back of the seat, yelping in unison. The car kicked from zero to sixty, leaving a dust cloud down the unpaved road.

“Slow down! It’s too narrow!” Yoosung shouted. 

Jiho sat, still in a daze. He felt Yoosung’s hand squeeze his and he squeezed in return. The trees passed by in his eyes, flashing in psychedelic colors.

Then he heard a strange boom, like something heavy falling to the ground from a great height.

“Goddammit!” Vanderwood slammed on the brakes, put the car into park, and opened the door running back the way he had just driven. 

Yoosung and Jiho turned to look and gasped at the rising pillar of smoke and fire above the trees. Debris was falling from this height and Vanderwood stood helplessly for a few seconds before he ran back to the car. “Damn! Seven!”

“Rika! Rika was in there!” Yoosung shouted his voice rising to a near shriek.

He put the car back into gear. “Once I get you two settled, I’ll go back and look for them, alright?” 

Jiho saw Vanderwood’s eyes in the rear view mirror, but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Events happening around him, and he didn’t have any means to react initially. But in another few seconds, he realized he had just witnessed an explosion. Fear hit him and he started to shake. “Yoosung! Yoosung! Help! What’s happening! What’s happening?!”

Yoosung grabbed hold of him and pulled him close, wrapping his arms around his back. The embrace calmed him and he closed his eyes, leaning into his shoulder. He took a deep breath and let out.

A phone rang. Vanderwood picked it up. “Yeah. He’s here”

He held it back behind the seat. “It’s your mom.”

Jiho took the phone from Vanderwood and held it against his ear. “Mom…?”

“Jiho, you’re okay.”

“Mom… I’m sorry…”

“Shhh… no more apologies. I knew the minute you broke into your father’s computer that you found out about our secret life.”

“Secret… life?”

“We could have made a lot of money, but we left it all behind to be together. To have a family. Our family was always our treasure, Jiho.”


	13. Homecoming

“Yoosung? Are you there?”

Jiho had to have asked this question a dozen times. In the car, his mental state had deteriorated further as the drugs he had ingested during the cleansing continued to wreak havoc in his system. He grew more and more untethered from reality and Yoosung was his metric to determine what was real and what was not.

“I’m here. Don’t worry.”

“Okay… I’m feeling… okay.” 

His last memory was a hazy dream of sound. After their arrival in this woodland cottage, after Vanderwood left to go find Seven, Yoosung and V had an argument over Rika. Jiho couldn’t remember exactly what was said. He only remembered Yoosung’s voice, screaming to higher and higher pitch, straining like an over-tightened violin string. He remembered the sharp slam of the door and Yoosung’s loud bout of crying.

He’d wanted to comfort him and tried to say something but the drugs took him under.

“Yoosung… I know this is really hard… but hold on.” He turned his head to look at him. Yoosung was kneeling next to his bed, his head resting on his arms against the mattress. His violet eyes were red and puffy, rimmed with dark circles.

“Zen said, a relationship where you can’t tell the truth, is based on a lie. This is the truth Yoosung. The one you always knew. V was never your friend. You weren’t fooled, not for a second. All those things people said to you… to calm down, to control your feelings. They were wrong.”

“I don’t want to be in the RFA any more. Not if V is there. I don’t want him around any more.” Yoosung mumbled into the sleeve of his shirt.

“Of course you don’t. It takes a type of person to look someone like you in the eye and lie… and continue to lie to the point of having a fake funeral. Why would you want to be around someone like that?”

“I’m really going to miss the RFA though… I was really looking forward to the party.” He whined. “I have nothing left.”

“The RFA is going to go away… whether you like it or not, Yoosung. Once law enforcement digs into the records, they’ll see that the donated funds weren’t going to a good cause. The RFA is finished.”

“You’re still going to tell the police?” Yoosung asked this with a note of surprise.

Jiho huffed, incredulously. “After what they did to me? Yeah. Absolutely.”

Yoosung lowered his eyes, silent.

In that brief period of silence, the roar of an engine could be heard. Yoosung lifted his eyes. “That’s Seven’s car!”

He stood up and went to open the bedroom door. Jiho pushed himself to his elbows, swaying with dizziness. The engine sound grew closer and then the flash of headlights could be seen through the window. It was night. Jiho must have slept for hours. He braced himself and climbed onto his two feet, leaning against the wall and letting it guide him to the half open door. He peered outside.

V was in the great room with the fireplace, standing some distance from Yoosung who was peering out the windows to see. Yoosung suddenly opened the door, propped it open with a chair and ran out, yelling. “Do you need help?”

Jiho looked at V. The man stood with one hand on the back of a sofa, unmoving, intently listening to what was happening. 

“Easy, Seven, take it nice and slow.”

V’s gasp caught Jiho's attention. Seven staggered in, clutching his ribs and groaning. 

“Seven… you’re alright!” V said.

Seven’s amber eyes glared daggers at V who couldn’t see them. “Stay… right where you are.” Seven gasped. “Don't’ say a word to me. I… can’t talk to you right now.”

V visibly trembled. “I…”

“Did I stutter- ow…” Seven flinched and gritted his teeth, hissing.

“Seven, don’t move right now. Please! You need to rest!” Yoosung pleaded. Then he glared at V as well. “Go away.”

V lowered his eyes but hesitated to move. Something else was happening. Someone outside was screaming and yelling, but what he was saying wasn’t making any sense.

Vanderwood reappeared in the doorway with a bound and gagged Saeran slung over his shoulder. As soon as Saeran caught sight of V, his struggles grew unmanageable and Vanderwood was forced to drop him in the doorway. “Hey! Settle down!”

Saeran vigorously shook his head, working his way out of the gag. “I’m going to kill you! You and Saeyoung! I’ll kill you!” He kicked and rolled back and forth trying to escape until Vanderwood pulled what looked like an oddly shaped gun.

“I swear, one more word and I’ll taser you again!”

Saeran’s voice was a mad harsh growl. “I don’t care. I don’t care if you shoot me with that!” His voice rose with a shriek. “You killed, Rika! She’s dead because of you! Everything! All of this! Is because of you! Even if you run, I’ll hunt you down. I’ll hunt you down and make you pay!”

Jiho tried to move towards Yoosung but the room suddenly spun and he had to lean against the door frame.

“Rika… Rika’s dead?” He heard Yoosung whimper.

Yoosung, hold on. That was what Jiho would have liked to say but he was losing the strength to keep standing. He clutched his head, willing his mind to stay focused.

Vanderwood put the taser away and re-tied the gag. “Yes. Unfortunately, there’s a body this time. Along with several others. I’m not sure what happened, but, the bomb that went off killed her instantly… she didn’t suffer.”

“Rika…” V whispered, shakily.

Yoosung let out a despairing howl.

“Hey!” Vanderwood shouted. 

Jiho looked out the door again. Yoosung was no fighter, he just balled his hand into a fist and swung down like a hammer against V’s face. V hit the floor.

Saeran’s eyes lit up and he started to laugh around the gag, audibly cheering Yoosung even if no one could understand him.

“Yoosung!” Seven winced with even the slightest movement and was unable to help.

Vanderwood grabbed Yoosung by the back of his shirt and pulled him off of V, tossing him to the wood floor. 

“Don’t hurt him!” Jiho shouted.

Yoosung got back up and came at V again but Vanderwood stood in his way, aiming the taser. “You want to end up like that guy? Because you’ve got 5 seconds.”

Yoosung stood, shaking with grief and rage. “This is all his fault! It’s all his fault!”

“Hey!” Vanderwood barked. “I didn’t come all the way out to the middle of the mountains so you people can tear each other apart! I don’t know what’s going on, all I know is Seven cared so much and I’m dragged into this now! I have one job! And that’s to make sure Seven does HIS job! He can’t do his job unless you guys knock it off! So knock it off before I make you!”

Yoosung stood, sobbing miserably. 

“Go back to your boyfriend before he ends up on the floor and knocks himself out.”

Jiho blinked. He didn’t realize Vanderwood had noticed him. 

Vanderwood turned and knelt next to V. A ribbon of red was running down from his nose, over his lips to his chin and Vanderwood helped him clean himself up with a handkerchief. “You have a cellphone, right? Can you call someone? We need someone to get up here and handle the mess and get us out.

He reached into his pocket and held out a singed masquerade mask. “I’m sorry. I really am.”

V took the mask with trembling hands, running his fingers around it. “Thank you... “ He whispered.

Yoosung tore his eyes away from V and ran to Jiho, shutting the door. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and sank to the floor, crying. He’d found Rika and lost her, all in one day.

Save the occasional muffled rant from the bound and gagged Saeran, the cottage descended into an uneasy silence. Jiho helped Yoosung to sit on the bed with him. Yoosung was too exhausted to keep up with his emotional outburst and just sat, completely numb and unmoving.

The next sound they heard was the thumping rotors of a helicopter. An extremely bright spotlight shined down on the cottage. In a few minutes, he heard the stomping of many feet and shouting. The door of the bedroom opened and Jumin Han entered.

\--------

“We now bring you Breaking News! The cult called Mint Eye has been operating under the cover of darkness for the better part of a year, but the case could have been blown open much earlier. Lee Dong-Sun, an expert private investigator, was planning on informing the police, but died in an unfortunate car accident. We have just learned that it was his son, Lee Jiho who carried on his father’s mission, was captured by and escaped the cult, to inform the authorities. The young man is currently not holding interviews, but everyone wants to get to know more about this stalwart son who was so devoted to his father so as to risk his life to continue his work. We hope that he will break his silence so that we can learn more about this amazing young man.”

Lee Jiho walked right by the reporter in front of C&R building. With his sunglasses on, he looked like any other man going in to work. Even the receptionist didn’t recognize him as he walked by and got into the elevator going up to the executive floor. Only then did he remove his dark lenses.

Jumin Han met him in his office. The CEO-in-line had hardly changed after all the chaos, as far as he could tell, throwing himself into work with his usual focus. He never revealed C&R’s involvement in his rescue and Jiho wasn’t telling either.

“I’m here to give you my two weeks notice.” Jiho said.

“Are you certain? What will you do in the meantime?” Jumin asked, leaning against his desk.

“I’m not sure. But… I’m making my decision. I have to find a place where I can work a regular schedule, not be asked to stay late or work weekends, just to meet some deadline. I want to spend more time with mom, and have time to game with Yoosung.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Jiho. Tell me what I need to do to get you to stay.” Jumin’s expression was firm.

“It’s not you.” JIho rubbed the back of his neck. “Even if you granted me the schedule I wanted, wouldn’t everyone else resent me? They’d hate me for being the last to arrive and the first to leave. It would be too much pressure.”

“But I’m allowing it.” Jumin leaned forward. “I’m rejecting your resignation. I want you to stay.”

Jiho sighed. This was the third time he had tried to resign and it wasn’t accepted.

“Who is harassing you? Give me names!”

“It’s not any one person…”

“Then put your blinkers on and ignore it. I understand that what you want to do is not the norm here at C&R, but you’ve earned it. No matter what anyone else says.” He turned and picked up a folder on his desk.

Jiho cringed. He wasn’t made of stone, but he couldn’t argue with him. “I’ve been meaning to ask you… have you heard from V?”

Jumin suddenly went still and sighed. “No. Nor do I expect to. I haven’t heard from Seven, either.”

Jiho pressed his lips together and nodded. “Well… I won’t ask to leave again.”

“Good. I’m glad we’ve come to an understanding. Is that all you wanted to ask me?” Jumin crossed his arms.

“Mom wants to invite you to dinner.”

That got his attention. “She does?”

“It won’t be your normal restaurant atmosphere, but she says it would be good for your soul to have her cook for you.”

“I don’t understand what she means but I won’t turn down her invitation. She’s already had Jaehee and Zen over twice and they can’t seem to stop talking about her prawn stew. I will have to try it myself.”

“I’ll let her know.”

At five pm sharp, JIho turned off his PC in the archives and stepped out into the waning late afternoon light. He took the subway back to his neighborhood. As he rode, he checked his phone. The RFA app was still on it but if he would try to open it, he would just get an error message. 

Although the RFA was gone, he couldn’t remove the app on his phone, keeping it for sentimental value. Instead, he opened LINE and texted Yoosung. “Ready for Round 2 with that boss monster?”

“I’m already online!”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Jiho stepped off the subway. He made his way home and stood at the walkway that would lead to the front door. It was open, the light of the kitchen, warm like a hearth, welcomed him. His mother stood on the front step, sweeping it with a broom.

She gave him a bright grin, one he was grateful for every time he saw it. “Welcome home, Jiho.”


End file.
